


take it or leaf it

by saintpyrite



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, M/M, Sexual Humor, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:28:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26956597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintpyrite/pseuds/saintpyrite
Summary: Remus isn't the type of guy you'd leave in charge of your child or anything but he can handle something like flowers for his brother's wedding. It's a bonus that the florist happens to be cute.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 116
Kudos: 214





	1. I

Remus heard the frustratingly optimistic ringtone cut through his deep sleep yet again. It must have been the third time in the past hour that he had let it go to voicemail and _yet_ , someone insisted on calling him. No amount of hiding under the den of duvet and pillows could muffle the noise and frankly, he debated just letting it ring out again. 

Unfortunately, his roommate had a sense of responsibility and thin walls in their shared apartment so it came as no surprise when footsteps resounded through the room and the ringtone cut short, followed by an exhausted greeting.

Remus tried to stay as still as possible, not wanting to draw attention to himself. The last thing he wanted was another one of Janus’ lectures about leaving his phone unanswered for what was likely hours.

“Roman,” Janus spoke louder, making it clear he knew that Remus was awake. “Unfortunately Remus can’t come to the phone right now.”

 _Shit_. He was awake now.

“Give me the phone,” Remus hissed, launching himself out of the bed and making a grab for the phone. He looked around for his clothes that were strewn across the bedroom floor, gathering his jeans and a random shirt from the floor and giving them a quick smell. They’d be fine if he doused them in deodorant, no time for a shower either if he wanted a plausible excuse for why he hadn’t been answering the phone. “Hey, Ro! I was just about to call you!”

_Shit, shit, shit!_

“As if!” Roman’s eye roll was almost audible and Remus had to keep it together enough under Janus’ judging stare not to wince. “You said you wouldn’t forget this time!”

Remus propped the phone between his shoulder and ear, pulling clean boxers on followed by his jeans. He gave an appropriate flip of the bird at Janus at the grimace when he caught sight of Remus’ bare ass but hey, the guy shouldn’t be in his room in the first place!

“I’ll be like five minutes, don’t get your thong all twisted in knots,” Remus lied, already resigned himself to the fact that he was going to be buying an apology coffee and whatever fancy little pastry Roman was obsessing over this week. “Just sit tight, bro.”

Roman scoffed, his laugh coming out humourless. “You’re lucky I don’t just leave; you owe me lunch now.”

“Lunch?” Remus didn’t realise how long he’d slept in, “Uh, sure. I’ll see you in a bit.”

 _I can’t believe I slept so late_ , Remus thought to himself as he hung up the phone so he could pull on a shirt that wasn’t covered in stains for once, grabbing his keys on the way out and shoved his feet into his shoes before running out the door. 

It wasn’t often that Remus hung out with his brother, more often than not, he was too busy working shifts at the 7/11 and if he wasn’t doing that, he was in his room working on his own projects and getting high. Remus eyed the clock on his car’s dashboard, slamming the door shut and starting up the engine.

_Let’s hope Roman is in a good mood today then._

* * *

When Remus got to the little coffee shop in the centre of town, he could see Roman sitting by the large bay windows at their usual table. It was their destination, their special little meeting place whenever they both got time off of work. Between Remus’ busy days at the 7/11 and Roman working at the local theatre with Janus, the two brothers had to set out a schedule just so they could see each other more frequently. Luckily for both of them, Roman was dating a total nerd. 

As he makes his way through the front door, the little bell jingling overhead, he notices Roman is sitting there with a big binder. Colourful tabs stick out down the sides, presumably each one for a different purpose and it’s likely the most organised thing he’s ever seen Roman _own_. Remus suspects Logan made it, who else would put together a whole folder with colour coordination for any purpose whatsoever when you can just write stuff in your phone these days?

As he came closer, Roman frowned at him until he could no longer keep a straight face, breaking out into an excited smile and standing to hug Remus. Out of all the reactions he was expecting, Remus didn’t expect this one. 

“You _finally_ made it,” Roman pulled back, though he didn’t hold back when he punched Remus in the arm, “That’s for being late though.”

“Nice to see you too,” Remus rubbed at his arm before pulling a chair out for himself, watching as Roman sat down too with a little bounce in his movement. Roman was easily enthused but even Remus couldn’t recall a time he’d seen Roman so _giddy_ , it was as if they were little again and going to see the Lion King on Broadway. It wasn’t so much out of character than it was weirding Remus out, “You seem upbeat despite my transgressions, you alright there Ro?”

Roman was grinning from ear to ear, truly the cat that had caught the canary and he looked fit to burst. 

"Look, look at my finger!" Roman shoved his hand in Remus' face, giving him a moment to collect his thoughts when he saw _it_. 

"Is that a ring?" Remus asked carefully, pushing Roman's hand away. 

"Not just any ring, an engagement ring!" 

Reaching out to grab his brother's hand once more, inspecting the ring with wide eyes, "Holy shit, Specs proposed!" 

“He did!” Roman grins, though it appears that isn’t everything. Once he gets his hand back, Roman hands over a neat red envelope with golden calligraphy that was tucked into the front of the binder. It just _screams_ Roman in every way possible. Pushing it open with delicate care, Remus raises an eyebrow when he sees the card inside. It wasn’t as if it was his birthday.

 _Oh,_ Remus thinks when he sees the writing inside and looks up at the grin on Roman’s face as if he couldn’t contain himself. Remus thinks he might cry, _maybe_ but he manages to hold himself together. 

“So, what do you think?” Roman rests his chin in his hand as he watches Remus from across the table, “Be my man of honour? My head groomsman?” 

“Are you kidding me? Of course, I will!” He can’t help but read over the fine cursive over and over again as if he couldn’t believe it, the news was overwhelming. Remus could only imagine how Roman must have felt. “Is there anything you need me to do? For the wedding planning?”

Immediately, Roman is shuffling his chair around the table so they can sit shoulder to shoulder before opening the binder. He goes through a few ideas they had for the wedding, mostly Roman’s ideas as Logan was never one for extravagance. It’s a wonder the two work so well sometimes, Remus could remember how much they used to scream and argue with each other when they were all back in college. Just a lot of pent up tension, Remus had said and he’d be so right. 

“You picked any vendors or contacted anyone?” Remus questioned, trying to think of potential businesses they could contact. Waiting lists for this type of deal could be a real pain in the ass so it was best to get started now, rather than wait until the last minute. “My bro deserves the _best_ wedding and I’ll be damned if you get shit flowers or food because you forgot to call and get yourself down on a waiting list!”

“It’s not even been a week since the engagement!” Roman laughed, though it was clear that the enthusiasm was there. Roman had been planning out getting married to his very own Prince Charming for years, maybe it was the divorce between their parents that had quietened him down about the beauty of marriage over the years but now that he had Logan and a ring on his finger, Remus could see the spark in his eyes as if it was all those years ago. “I’ve outlined a few businesses and contacted one or two, such as the bakery and the catering. Logan is going to go with me to look into our suits and we have a band in mind. It’s a little overwhelming honestly, what with everything we still have to do.”

“I can take on something for you,” Remus blurted out, seeing how Roman deflated at the thought of how much thought needed to go into this event to make it perfect. “I know I’m not always the most trustworthy or responsible but if it helps you, I can do at least _one_ thing.” 

He rested a hand over his brother’s own, giving it a light squeeze, “I want you to have the most amazing wedding you could ever have imagined when we were kids, you deserve that much.”

Roman stares back at him, a little bewildered but his expression melts away into something softer and more gentle. After the divorce, the two of them had been split for so long that they didn't know how to communicate. It’s only when they got back in touch during college that everything began to slowly repair itself but even that came with hard times and harsher words, their entire relationship had been a process and a half. It’s why Remus, for what little he was worth, was thankful Roman stuck around. 

“Thanks, Remus…” Roman turned his hand in Remus’ own and squeezed it back, turning back to the binder to flick through the variety of pictures and labelled tabs for what they’d need for the wedding. “It’s mostly the venue and the florist, I guess. I’m thinking of asking Janus to help me _persuade_ the owner of this nice little place on the outskirts of town with a huge, gorgeous garden for an outdoor wedding.”

“Well, whatever you need me to do,” Remus chuckled, “Except for the honeymoon of course, Logan is a good looking guy but you know me, I like them a little less uptight and a bit more _loose_.”

He wiggles his eyebrows, only bursting into laughter again when Roman smacks him in the chest and starts laughing himself. The two have to take a moment to catch their breath, taking a short break to order coffee and for Roman, an abundance of pastries. 

“I think you’re more eager to do something than usual, you sure you’re the real Remus?” Roman says with a cheeky smile in return, “Alright, you can handle the florist then, how does that sound?” 

“Perfect.”

Remus makes a note on his phone and _several_ alarms, the two of them huddled over the device to look at florist reviews online. There were several places that were wonderful but their waiting lists could go _months_ , maybe even years if you didn’t book way ahead in advance. It felt as if it was a lost cause to find a reasonably priced florist that fit Roman’s standards and more so, one that was available.

He promised to look into it more though, Remus was no quitter when it came to fixating on the task at hand. Maybe that’s why lady luck smiled upon him this day, the usual route back home had experienced a car crash on the road and the traffic was _horrendous_. It was just easier to take the backstreets through town, even if it added an extra twenty minutes onto what was supposed to be a fifteen-minute drive from his and Janus’ shared apartment.

That’s when he saw it though, a little hole in the wall florist he’d never noticed before.

 _Take it or Leaf it,_ Remus thought as he slowed to a stop outside, staring at the beautiful bouquet displays in the window. _That is a fucking awful name for a flower shop._


	2. II

Groaning as the alarm rang through the apartment, his phone reminding him of his duties as the best brother ever rousing him from a deep sleep. Remus grasped his phone on the third try, turning off the alarm before stretching out and listening for the ripple of snaps in his spine as he twisted around. 

Mornings were _not_ a Remus thing but this stupid hole-in-the-wall flower shop was open from eight in the morning to the afternoon when it shut for lunch then again for a few hours and it wasn’t open the other day whatsoever. Remus had terrible timing when he’d come across the place yesterday but he’d gotten a good look at the opening times and days in the door when he’d gone to stick his face up against the glass of the door to peer inside. It seemed pretty stupid to be closed but leave the lights on, something about the environment or conserving energy or _something_ Logan had mentioned once comes to mind. 

Remus considers going back to sleep for ten more minutes when he throws the duvet to the floor, shivering at the cold air that blows through like a draft. He can hear Janus in the kitchen with his boyfriend, probably sweet-talking each other and being all cute and gross with one another. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he prepares himself for a shit start to the morning because Janus’ boyfriend, Patton, is _far_ too cheerful at this time of day. 

Making his way through the apartment, he sneaks his way with his _clean_ clothes to the bathroom to shower and change. If he’s lucky, maybe he can slip out unnoticed and get breakfast at the local McDonalds or something equally as disgustingly delicious. No such luck though, Patton is standing there when Remus peers outside the bathroom door with an eager smile and the smell of bacon wafts through. 

“Remus, I made you coffee!” Patton chirps, seemingly not taking any notice of the sigh that escapes Remus’ lips, “I hope you’re good for bacon, eggs and toast too!” 

_It can’t hurt to spend a little time with them I guess_ , Remus thinks as he smiles awkwardly at Patton. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Patton, it was just that the man spent way too much time here for someone who didn’t pay rent or anything. At least he cooked, Remus could give him that much but he really ought to start establishing ground rules with Janus regarding his boyfriend. Remus had even stopped bringing one night stands back to the apartment just because Patton spent so much time here which was the last thing he wanted to discuss with the likes of sweet, catholic-raised Patton. 

Regardless, he followed Patton through to the kitchen and nodded when appropriate as the man chattered away about his week. Remus off-handedly grabbed the tablet he shared with Janus on the way to the island counter before sitting down, allowing Patton to grab him his food. 

“Morning, Remus.” Janus smiled from behind his own mug of english breakfast tea, kissing Patton on the cheek as the man stopped on the way to the stove. “You’re up early, what’s the occasion?”

Remus made gagging noises and gestures, getting an eye roll from his friend before gesturing to the tablet, “Logan proposed to Roman, as I’m sure you know from the massive facebook post he felt the need to tag everyone in.”

“Oh yeah,” Janus chuckled, “I rang him up while you were passed out, congratulated him and such; we’re planning to go out later in the week when he and Logan aren’t so busy with work. You still didn't answer my question.”

“I’m finding them a florist,” Remus yawned, thanking Patton when the man gave him his breakfast and cutlery to eat with. Instead, he just picked his bacon up by his fingers despite the grease and chowed down as he spoke, “I found a little quiet place, figured I’d check the reviews.”

Remus began looking up the place he’d found, _Take it or Leaf it_ , and came across the Google reviews. Clicking on them, it was surprising to see how well the reviews were for this place with an awful pun for a name. Many of the reviews mentioned the fair prices for good quality bouquets and a good experience for small orders. 

There was a particular review however that talked about the store in great detail, rather than the one sentence reviews he’d scanned through previously. It mentioned an ill-tempered and sarcastic employee who made these fantastic bouquets that put most of the city, if not all the city’s florists, to shame. It appeared whoever ran the place was a difficult person to deal with but regarding wedding arrangements and events of any kind, he was well worth the trouble. 

Remus considers himself an adventurous and creative person when it came to dealing with people but he was exhausted just hearing about this guy. He thinks on it for a moment, long enough that he can feel Patton peering over the counter trying to read upside down.

“Take it or Leaf it?” Patton said aloud, chuckling at the pun, “You know, the owner who runs that place isn’t as bad as the reviews make him out to be; he just needs a little extra love and attention like a plant!”

“You’d know how?” Remus raised an eyebrow, looking up at him and deciding to shove the tablet away to focus on what remained of his breakfast.

“I’m friends with the owner,” Patton grinned, “His name’s Virgil Moore, a good guy really. He just comes across as moody and a bit of a grumpy gills but he’s real sweet and talented. I’ve never seen someone work such magic with flowers before, makes me a little jealous.”

As he demolished his breakfast, Remus finds his eyes were lingering on the photos. Reaching forward, he pulled the tablet back to click through them. Patton was kidding either, each bouquet was intricate and unique and Remus could tell this Virgil guy knew his business.

"He's good, I'll give him that." 

If anything, it was the best floral arrangements he'd seen thus far and if it meant the best of the best for Roman and his wedding, he could handle _one_ florist. 

He'd tried taking up Patton's suggestion to call the store ahead of time to set up an appointment, mentioning how Virgil might appreciate it but after the second time he couldn't get through, there was no way Remus was waiting around on this guy. 

Instead, he finishes his breakfast and grabs his keys. If he spent any more time listening to the way Patton and Janus were going on, he might just throw up in his shoes and drink it again. That'd be a more enjoyable experience. 

* * *

It's a twenty minute drive to the florists, one where he can happily play loud music and sing at the top of his lungs with the window down to get him in a good mood. The breeze wakes him up and it's almost as if nothing could bring Remus down once he reaches the store, truly taking it in for the first time when he parks outside. 

Take it or Leaf it is simplistic from the outside, just a door with purple paint and a quaint little sign and a big window display but that display is what draws you in. The most incredible and intricate bouquets and arrangements are situated there, the window decorated with designs using markers or paint. Remus could see why Patton would be jealous, it looked like the owner was a fellow artist like Remus himself. 

As he goes inside, Remus can only think about how alive the shop looks. He doesn't realise how loud his boots are as he stomps through the shop or how much he sticks out amongst the concoction of colour with his dark clothing, jacket tied around his waist to display the twists and turns of his octopus tattoo that runs down the length of his arm from his shoulder. It's a wonder he doesn't sneeze though, there are so many plants he couldn't name littered about the place. 

Remus is lost in it for a moment, peering at a particularly _purple_ bouquet and he can only imagine how much the owner must love purple. He's pulled out of the thought when he hears a voice over at the counter, drawing his attention. 

"Can I help you or do you just plan to stand about all day looking like an idiot?" The man stares him down with narrowed eyes, tying what of his purple hair up isn't shaved into a bun. "You talk or what?" 

_He really does like purple, huh._

Regardless, Remus looks the manager up and down with no shame as he approaches. This Virgil guy is cute in this lighting, what with the purple eyeshadow and soft brown eyes but he's _hot_ too, all rough and sharp edges with a fierceness that truly bites. 

"Just looking for an employee," Remus knows he's the manager but he wants to push this guy's buttons a little. With a little smirk on his face, "I got a wedding to help plan and I could use the expertise." 

"Congratulations, Duke of Idiocy, you're looking right at the manager." Virgil spits back, his feathers rustled at the comment. "I'm all the expertise you need." 

"I can imagine and I got something else that could use some expertise right now, nightshade." Remus purred back, clearly taking the man aback. He laughs as the man grows flustered and stammers angrily, Remus shaking his head in response, "Sorry man, too easy; I am just here for a booking about flowers though." 

Once the manager has calmed down, he huffs with arms crossed over his chest, "Sucks for you then but I don't make appointments without the bride or groom's approval so you might as well turn right back around and fuck right off." 

With barely a moment's notice, Virgil is turning on his heel to head around the counter and walk away from Remus towards the window to reorganise the display and promptly ignore him. 

"So I take it you didn't like the joke," Remus says, not thinking when he follows Virgil to the window. It's probably the wrong move, Virgil backs up from him with narrowed eyes as if he was a cat on guard and ready to scratch Remus. It's weirdly adorable to think about.

Taking in the appearance of Virgil this close, he's honestly surprised this guy works in a flower shop. He looks more suited to an edgier, artistic career. What with all the piercings, the ripped black skinny jeans and the baggy hoodie under his apron. 

"You don't look like the type of guy who'd work in a place like this." 

Virgil exhales deeply, "Are you _still_ talking to me?" 

"I need that appointment, babe," Remus grins wickedly, winking at Virgil who looks away to focus on an arrangement instead. "Can you make it happen or do I have to seduce you with my wily charms?" 

"If I do it, will you shut up?" Virgil snaps back, "You still have to call whoever is getting these things though." 

Remus would rather not but he feels he's pushing his luck with the cute yet abrasive florist as it is. Getting Roman on the phone was more difficult than it should be, so he resorts to calling Logan. 

He tunes out the idle chatter between the two, catching just enough to know Logan expresses his permission for Remus to handle the floral arrangements. It wouldn't be the first time Remus has tuned him out though. 

Once Logan hangs up, Virgil is staring back at Remus as if he's uncertain he wants to take the job if it means putting up with the likes of him. Remus can't blame him, it's why half of his relationships went south real fast. 

"Sit down somewhere I guess, stand for all I care. I'm going to get my book so we can organise some shit." 

The manager walks into the back room, leaving Remus to wander around the place until he finds a small table with chairs near the back. It takes everything in him to resist his urges to pull the petals of the nearby carnations, the boredom creeping up on him. 

He's at the end of his rope after five minutes and almost leaves, if not for Janus replying to his messages and telling him to stay out. 

_I'm so bored man, why did I agree to this shit? - Remus, 9:01am_

_Because you're trying to be a good brother and you might as well do something other than drawing your comics then playing Valorant for the whole day. - Janus, 9:01am_

_True. Still feels like a total waste of my day off. Least this Virgil guy is cute. - Remus, 9:02am._

He doesn't get to see Janus' reply, the shopkeeper coming back through and dropping a book on the table that startles Remus. Virgil doesn't conduct himself with a level of grace and professionalism most places would do and a part of Remus respects that, though he appreciates it even more when he realises Virgil had discarded the hoodie, showcasing the lean yet broad build that the florist had been hiding away from him under that old dish rag of a hoodie. 

"Here's how it's going to go, Pringles," Virgil sits down in the seat across from him, opening the book. "I'm going to take your number and do my job. The job that we both know I'm very good at unless you're fucking blind."

Remus raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to speak before being interrupted. Virgil wasn't finished it seemed and for the first time in a long time, Remus was excited as he finally found someone who didn't take his shit. In fact, the guy fought back against it. Couldn't say he was a big fan of the nickname though. 

"The most I'll do is ask you yes or no, which you'll do without being a total asshole thinking you know better. I might text you or call you, maybe a meet up once. The less I have to interact with you, the better and you or the grooms won't have to worry for a second because my work is nothing less than perfect and it won't stop being perfect now." 

"You got a perfectionist streak, eh?" Remus chuckled, leaning back in his chair and shrugging. "Sure, that's fine. Just give me your number or whatever, we can talk flowers and maybe dinner sometime." 

When Virgil snatches the phone from his hand, inputting his number, Remus can understand why most people would find Virgil difficult to work with. Even so, he finds it attractive as hell and he isn't afraid to go after what he wants. 

"Patton spoke of you highly and I don't think that guy is even capable of lying so," Remus trails off, watching the expression shift on Virgil's face. 

"You know Pat?" Virgil asks carefully, as if he couldn't trust a word Remus said. That's fair game though. 

Remus nods, "He's dating my roomie and best mate, particularly lives in my apartment. Annoying as fuck but he's nice." 

"Huh," Virgil hands back his phone, "He did mention Janus had a loser for a roommate." 

"Okay, we both know Patton wouldn't say that but Janus on the other hand, he would." 

"True, though I just came to the conclusion on my own from what I've heard," Virgil said with a smirk. 

"I love when guys talk dirty to me," Remus clicks his tongue, taking back the phone and looking at the number now there. Virgil Moor, just as expected. "I'm changing your name in this, by the way." 

"Don't fucking dare," Virgil warns, though the threat is empty and they both know it. There's an underlying attraction, that much is obvious but Virgil seems like the type of guy who's too hard-headed to admit it because he's either anxious or stuck up about liking someone he thinks is below him. Remus is banking on the first one though, as much as Virgil talks big, it feels like a big facade. An act, Remus thinks. 

"Calm down, nightshade, it's nothing too bad." Remus grins, showing Virgil the screen where it reads Nightshade over where Virgil's name once was. "It's a flower so it's fitting, don't get yourself in knots about it." 

"Yeah, yeah," The florist rolls his eyes before making a shooing gesture. "You have my number, just text me and I'll set up an appointment with you soon. I want to eat so I'm closing up for a bit." 

“You just opened two hours ago," Remus thinks aloud, though he finds himself ushered to the door anyway. "Is this a ploy to get rid of me?" 

"Absolutely, text me tomorrow." 

With that, the door slams shut in his face and Remus finds himself grinning from ear to ear as he glances back to see Virgil watching him from inside the store. 

After that, he finds he might as well loiter in town and get some food for tonight. Remus sends a message to Roman to update him on the flower situation as he wanders back to his car in the supermarket parking lot, the other hand occupied with two bags full of shopping. 

_Flowers are a-go, Ro. They look good from what I know about flowers, drop dead gorgeous in person too. - Remus, 10:47am_

_That's awesome, thanks for this Remus. I'm surprised you even remembered. - Roman, 10:47am._

_I can be competent when the calling is there. Apparently my calling is wedding arrangements and cute florists. - Remus, 10:48am._

_Don't tell me you're sleeping with my florist already, Rem… - Roman, 10:48am._

_No but I am working on it. Seriously though, I'm kidding. The guy is cute, good bit of banter but I won't ruin this for you, trust me. - Remus, 10:48am._

_I'm trusting you then. - Roman, 10:49am._

He doesn't respond after that, eyes on the road and what-not. Instead, he unlocks the car and throws the groceries inside haphazardly. 

He's more than happy just to get home and spend the rest of his day online, maybe work on his commissions or his own project before work tomorrow. 

* * *

Almost a week goes by, Remus had texted Virgil when he'd gotten home and received nothing in return except a confirmation that Virgil now had his number. It's only after a gruelling day at work that makes him contemplate laying down in the middle of the road that he receives a text from the florist. 

_It helps if you fucking book an appointment, asshole. Don't waste my time. - Nightshade, 9:07pm._

Remus groans, he'd totally forgotten about the flowers. He figured Virgil would just tell him when he was free, though he supposed it wasn't that simple. 

_Slipped my mind, I got a life but you know what, it's already better with you in it. - Remus, 9:08pm._

_Yeah, yeah, real cute. My time is valuable and I want to get this shit sorted. - Nightshade, 9:08pm._

Remus hadn't thought about how busy Virgil might be with other clients and customers. He supposed Remus was wasting his time by forgetting, it was best not waste it any further. He wasn't working tomorrow, that'd work if it worked for Virgil. 

_I got tomorrow off, does that work for you? We could grab a bite to eat. My treat. - Remus, 9:09pm._

_You gotta be kidding me. - Nightshade, 9:09pm._

_Would you really be turning down free food and a date with a handsome stranger? - Remus, 9:09pm_

He loads himself into his car, rubbing at his eyes to try and keep himself from falling asleep at the wheel. He doesn’t check his messages until he gets through the door and collapses on bed, barely saying a word to Patton and Janus as he passes them in the living room. 

_Sure, whatever. Bring me the wedding party attire and the groom's suits for colour reference. See you tomorrow, 10am sharp. I'll meet you outside my shop. - Nightshade, 9:10pm._

_Sounds like a date, looking forward to it. - Remus, 9:49pm._

Remus chortles at the thought of a flustered, lean florist that towers over him with arms and a body built like a swimmer. God, he's a little infatuated with the man, isn't he? 

After an hour of resting his weary bones, Remus is back on his feet to steal whatever leftovers Janus thinks he can hide amongst the vegetables in the fridge. The couple are going through a series on Netflix, perfectly distracted and as the chicken dinner he's stolen is warming up in the microwave, he thinks of telling them about Virgil just so he has someone to talk to about it, rather than waking Roman and Logan up in the group chat they share. 

He finds the opportunity when Patton comes through the kitchen minutes later, stopping to watch as Remus is already halfway through eating the leftovers.

"I made that for Janus," the man says, sighing as he opens the fridge for the milk and shuts it again. "You could have just asked if you wanted me to make you something." 

"Eh, he stole my oreos last week. We're even now." 

Remus watched Patton go about making him and Janus two cups of tea. He wonders how someone like Patton befriended a guy like Virgil, maybe he could learn a thing or two. 

"Met Virgil last week, talented guy but a little bit of a dickhead." Remus said, ignoring when Patton scolds him for his language. "Luckily, he's cute so it balances out." 

"That's not very nice, Remus, though I can admit Virgil can be _difficult_ at times." 

That makes Remus snort through his nose, a polite way of putting it when Virgil had no professional bone in his body when it came to conducting business. 

"Sure, that's one way of putting it but either way. I'm actually seeing him tomorrow to treat him to lunch while we talk business." 

Patton raised an eyebrow at that, "Like a date?" 

Remus grins wickedly, it wasn't as if he would deny or turn away such a thing and flirting with Virgil yielded hilarious results. The man had a sharp tongue, a pretty blush on his cheeks and was startlingly beautiful like a poisonous flower. Sure, it might interfere with his brother's wedding but he could always wait until _afterwards_ to get into Virgil's bed. Still he wasn't going to jeopardise a good florist for the wedding and there was the issue of _having_ a relationship to begin with. 

"I wouldn't object to that," Remus chuckled, "Though you know me. I don't do relationships too well." 

Remus knows he hasn't been too successful in the dating aspect of his romantic life thus far. All his exes were too controlling or demanding for his liking, often leading to constant arguments. They'd never been able to wrangle him in or get him to settle, Remus just didn't play by people's rules and would always make up his own. He isn't unaware that he has his faults that he has to work on, Remus wouldn't ever dare be that ignorant of his own shortcomings but he'd just never found a reason to _grow_ when every relationship felt as if it was stunting him anyway. Besides, he wouldn't want to ruin someone like Virgil's dating experience with his general _Remus_ attitude. 

He’s aware how expressive he's been because Patton looks as if he wants to say something wise or comforting. It's enough to make Remus uncomfortable as he shovels food into his mouth as fast as possible so he can escape the situation. 

"Thanks for the food, Pat!" Remus yells as he makes a beeline for his bedroom, ready to slam it shut and lock the bolt. "Goodnight you two!" 

Instead of thinking about his _little_ insecurities and how lonely he was deep down, he repressed them. Pushing them deeper down until they were barely noticeable in the back of his mind with everything else back there. Remus started putting together a list of colours and flower types that he ended up scrolling through on the Internet, just so he had something to bring to the table tomorrow. 

He doesn't want to admit it for anything beyond flirtations and being his usual self but Remus was looking forward to tomorrow. It was _nice_ having someone else to talk to, someone new and exhilarating that wasn't his best friend or brother. 

Yeah, he was definitely looking forward to it. This little _date,_ as he put it. 


	3. III

Remus throws himself out of bed  _ before _ his alarm for once, an enthusiasm in his step he doesn’t often feel in the morning. He manages to make his own breakfast and clean the apartment enough that Janus comes in, touching his forehead with a thermometer in hand. 

He's just in a good mood though, it's the most motivated he has felt in a long time. That's what he tells Janus anyway as he grabs the laundry basket and drags it to his room, inspecting his wardrobe. He'll need clean clothes for today, something  _ good _ . 

He knows his meet-up with Virgil is for the flowers and everything, nothing more but Remus wants to  _ impress _ and Janus always emphasised how much clothing can give off a certain vibe or  _ something.  _ Maybe he should start listening to his friend when he goes off on his long rants. 

_ Nah _ , Remus thinks to himself as he begins hanging up clothes. 

When he's done, he realises it's coming up on quarter past nine so he scrambles to get dressed in his black jacket that he absolutely  _ didn't  _ steal from Roman, green shirt that was tight enough to be  _ tantalising  _ if he does say so himself and tight black jeans. It'd do, better than the joggers that say juicy or the jeans he fashioned into short shorts. 

It was best to arrive a little early, Remus knew traffic might fuck him over otherwise and as shit, as he usually was for punctuality, he felt like making the effort this time. 

As he gets in the car, he catches himself in the mirror and runs a hand through the waves of his ash brown hair, the grey streak standing out among the locks. He wonders if he should dye it all grey, go for the foxy grandpa look or maybe let the grey streak wash out. Pushing it back, he finds it looks pretty good too. His hair is growing out, long enough that he was contemplating seeing how long it would get if he left it. 

_ I wonder what kind of guys Virgil is actually into,  _ Remus thinks as he starts up the car.  _ That's assuming he's into guys at all.  _

The drive isn't long as he'd hoped, Remus is early in fact. It's as if today was full of miracles and surprises. Maybe this is what it's like to put effort into your day rather than going through the motions. 

Taking out his phone, Remus raises an eyebrow at the messages he has already in his group chat with the grooms-to-be. 

_ Janus said you were up early! - Roman, 9:47am. _

_ It was bound to happen one day - Logan, 9:47am. _

_ Uh, yeah. I'm meeting Virgil today. - Remus, 9:47am. _

_ Oh. - Roman, 9:48am. _

_ What does oh mean? - Remus, 9:48am. _

_ It means he's got this stupid smile on his face most likely. I'm heading into work so enjoy your date, Remus. - Logan, 9:48am. _

_ I'm literally meeting the guy to discuss your fucking wedding. I even asked for pictures of your bloody colour scheme ideas. - Remus, 9:49am. _

_ OK. - Logan, 9:49am. _

_ It's a meeting! - Remus, 9:49am. _

_ Have a good meeting, Rem! - Roman, 9:50am. _

Remus rolls his eyes again, shoving his phone in the car door compartment. He has ten minutes to kill, turning on the music and tapping along to the beat. It's easy enough to sing along, eases his nerves and he knows he has no reason to be nervous in the first place but he is. Maybe it's just because this whole  _ thing _ does feel a little like a date and Remus isn't sure if Virgil would even want to date a guy like him in the first place. 

He supposes it'll have to be something he finds out for himself, as Remus catches Virgil coming out of his shop from the corner of his eye. The florist comes up to the car, tapping on the window and Remus leans over to open the door for him.

“Hey,” Remus grinned but his face fell looking at the sour expression on Virgil’s face, “Someone looks like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed; are you okay?”

Virgil slams the car door as he slips into the seat, aggressively wrestling with the seatbelt. His fingernails that are usually polished and neat are bitten to hell, jagged around the edges where Virgil clearly ripped them to bits with his teeth. 

“Seriously, Virgil…” Remus frowned, getting a little worried for the man, “Are you okay? Is something wrong? Do I need to punch someone?”

“Just some assholes that are calling up acting all entitled as if I have all the time to dedicate to their hellspawn’s birthday or communion or  _ whatever _ bullshit they want my services for; some people just think they can yell at me down the phone and I  _ hate _ it because--” 

Virgil stopped abruptly, his face reddening and Remus wondered if he was embarrassed for rambling. The way he slumped to hide in his hoodie and covered his face with his hands proved him right and he offered a small pat on the knee.

“You can tell me all about it over breakfast, how about that?”

Peering through the gaps in his fingers, Virgil made a small noise of reluctant agreement before Remus started up the car. Luckily the ride wasn’t so awkward as Remus decided to pick out the coffee shop he and Roman often frequented, a familiar place that wouldn’t make it feel  _ too _ much like a date. The Brewed Awakening was run by his good friend Remy so he could trust the food served there was good.

Parking in the nearby shopping complex, both men made their way down to the streets and took the short five minute walk to the Brewed Awakening where they filtered in, finding a nice small booth at one of the back right windows. Remus doesn’t think too much of it when he slides into his usual side but there is a moment where he has to stare up at Virgil, almost giving himself whiplash in the process as the purple-haired man slides in beside him. He considers bringing it up, though he decides against it when he feels how warm Virgil is as their arms brush together.

_ Uh oh _ , Remus curses himself. 

* * *

“Don’t get me started on the  _ colours _ ,” Virgil throws his hands up, scrambling to catch his coffee as he jostles the mug in his theatrics. “The dress is hideous, the colour scheme is hideous, how does anyone expect me to work magic with a clashing colour scheme like  _ that _ ?”

Remus chuckles, taking a drink from his own cup and watching Virgil with great enthusiasm as far as he’s concerned. He can see Remy eyeing the pair of them out of the corner of his eyes, no doubt texting Roman when he should be  _ working _ . Remus could already feel the buzz in his pocket where his phone was going off so he decides to sit up a little straighter, try to look a little less like a pining teenager and change the topic.

“Speaking of,” Remus gestured to the satchel that Virgil had brought with him dumped haphazardly at their feet under the table, “We were here to talk ideas and colour schemes, right? I brought a few pictures on my phone too so you can get a feel for it all; Roman would kill me if I ruined  _ anything _ about this wedding.” 

Taking out a notebook from his bag, Virgil slips right into business mode and Remus can honestly say, he’s a little hot under the collar from how Virgil can go from this anxious small-seeming young man to a ball of unbridled rage to the most professional person he’s ever met besides Logan. The man has layers and it’s exhilarating to see someone so  _ alive _ despite Virgil’s continuous jokes about death. 

Virgil goes into a long spiel about how he operates, the ideas he has in mind and the prices for the bouquets and centrepieces and everything else that’ll be coming out of Virgil’s brilliant mind. Remus bounces a few ideas off of him, showing him pictures for the type of wedding Roman and Logan were going for but for the most part, Virgil has it down before Remus can open his mouth. There isn’t much that has to be changed, other than a discussion about finding some middle ground between being  _ extra _ and being  _ down to earth _ . Roman would have everything covered in glitter if he could but Remus has a feeling that Logan would be willing to drop the whole wedding altogether if he ended up coated in glitter. That shit never comes off, Remus still finds it in his underwear after Pride for  _ weeks _ .

Eventually, Remy comes over and offers to just  _ take _ their order. Remus has to remind himself that they came here to eat breakfast  _ and _ talk, not for Remus to just smile stupidly and hang off the florist’s every word. Eventually, Remus manages to figure out what he wants and ends up ordering a bowl of nachos with everything loaded into it while Virgil plays it safe and gets a ham and cheese toastie. 

“A cheese and ham toastie?” Remus raises an eyebrow with a smirk.

“Got something wrong with my order?” Virgil challenges before he gives a small smile, “I prefer to go with the safest option, I’m not good at deciding on what I want.”

“I always know what I want,” Remus says, confident as he stares right at Virgil but it’s enough to surprise himself. He almost apologies until he sees how red Virgil goes, the way the man averts his eyes and smiles to himself a little when he thinks Remus can’t pick up on it. 

“I wish I could be more like that,” Virgil chuckles, playing with the end of his hoodie sleeves as if he doesn’t know what else to do with them. 

There is a silence that falls over them and Remus feels as if it may have gotten awkward, desperately looking for any conversation topic off the top of his head, “You left your hair down today.” 

“Huh?” Virgil consciously reaches through the strands of hair that fall to the right. It covers one eye and it’s a shame really, Remus quite likes Virgil’s eyes. “Oh yeah, I snapped my hair tie this morning so I just left it.”

Without thinking too much about it, Remus finds himself reaching up to brush the hair back and watch it fall in cascades of shimmering purple, the shade even matches Virgil’s makeup and  _ that _ is adorable. It’s even better when Virgil looks startled before relaxing at the touch, uncertain but not pulling away from the contact.

“It looks good,” Remus says with a nod as if he needed to affirm it physically with an action. “I like it when you wear it up too, suits you both ways.”

“Oh,” Virgil stammers, his face was warm and Remus could feel the heat radiating off of him as he pulled his hand back. “I mean, yeah, sure. Thanks.”

Remus chuckled, finding the awkward fumbling around the compliment endearing, “You really should take more pride in yourself, be a bit more confident; you look hot, man, own it.” 

“You’re one to talk,” Virgil mumbles.

“What?” Remus blinks, he’s uncertain if that was a compliment or not. 

“Forget it,” Virgil takes a drink of his coffee and sets the mug aside as he finishes it off. Luckily, the food comes and the two are able to make small talk while they bury themselves in their food. They discuss the wedding, sometimes Virgil will tell stories about work and in exchange, Remus will do so too. He talks about wanting to become a graphic novel artist, how he’s working on his own project while Virgil confides in him about how working with flowers has been good for his anxiety, even if it meant having to learn to put up with angry and entitled customers sometimes. Remus is surprised how easy it is for the two of them to talk, the conversation flows so easily between them and they have a rather dark sense of humour they both share. 

Remus  _ thinks _ Virgil might be flirting back with him too whenever he makes an innuendo at the florist or flirts shamelessly. He isn’t sure though, it could just be banter for all he knows but a part of him  _ wants _ Virgil to be flirting back. 

Eventually, Remy off-handedly tells them they’ve been here for over three hours and haven't ordered anything more after they finished their meals, a passive-aggressive way of telling them to fuck off or order something more. Virgil grows flustered and embarrassed at how much time has passed while Remus just laughs at Remy’s sass, reaching for his wallet to pay the bill. 

“I can pay, Remus!” Virgil scrambles for his bag but Remus is already pulling out his card and handing it to Remy, “We could have split that.”

“Nah,” Remus smirks, resting his head in hand as he thinks how cute it is when Virgil pouts in that lemon sour way that he does, “It’s nice to have some company honestly, I think this is the best thing that has happened to me all week; I did say it was my treat too.”

“I guess you did,” seems to be the only thing Virgil can think of, checking the time on his phone instead of adding anything more. “I should probably head off but this was good, we got shit done and it was…”

“Fun?” Remus supplies, standing up with Virgil. The two of them pass by the counter so Remus can get his card back from Remy rather than making the guy trail back to them. 

“That might be  _ too _ much of a descriptor,” Virgil smirks as the two head out the door and towards the car. When they get back to the flower shop, Virgil slips out before tapping on the window so Remus will roll it down, “Remember to actually text me this time, otherwise you can tell your brother why he doesn’t get his flower arrangements perfect because you were too lazy to reach out and set an appointment.” 

“You got it, Nightshade,” Remus says with a wink, watching as Virgil rolls his eyes with a smile. The two exchange their goodbyes, Virgil entering the flower shop. As he watches him disappear through the purple door, Remus can feel his chest tightening and the grin on his face won’t go away, not even when he’s long since left the florist behind and is making his way home. When he gets back home, he considers texting Virgil right away but first, he goes through the messages he got from Roman.

_ Remy says you look like you’re having fun with your date. - Roman, 10:37am. _

_ I mean your ‘meeting’, sorry! - Roman, 10:37am. _

_ Seriously though, how’d it go? - Roman, 12:03pm. _

_ Oh my god, Remus! Text me back! - Roman, 12:32pm. _

God, this is exactly why he didn’t let Roman in on his love life, the man just didn’t know when to quit. His brother was too much of a hopeless romantic and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d tried to pry into Remus’ social life. 

_ I just got back, chill bro - Remus, 2:03pm. _

_ Seriously? - Roman, 2:03pm. _

_ How did it go then? Any news? - Roman, 2:03pm. _

Remus contemplated just saying the meeting went well, that he’d be seeing Virgil again for the test arrangements as it was easier to make tweaks to what you could see physically rather than the hypothetical like the pair of them did today. Instead, he took a deep breath and typed.

_ He’s something, let me tell you that much. Something way out of my league. - Remus, 2:04pm. _

_ Oh, Rem, don’t put yourself down like that! - Roman, 2:04pm. _

_ I don’t know; you know me, Ro, I’m not good with relationships. - Remus, 2:04pm. _

_ You never give anyone a chance to stick around! If you like this florist, I give you my blessing so long as the flower arrangements look amazing still! - Roman, 2:05pm. _

_ Maybe. I’ll think about it. - Remus, 2:05pm. _

He let his phone hit him in the face, sighing as it slid down and left an ache in his nose. He had felt so elated when spending time with Virgil as if his chest would combust and all his guts would explode just from being in his presence for too long. Maybe Roman was right for once though, despite the dread in his stomach now, he knew what he wanted deep down. Maybe he should just go for it and take it. 

Picking his phone back up, Remus scrolled through past messages until he came across Virgil’s number, smiling at the little flower-based nickname before pressing on it to type out a message. He ended up deleting it multiple times, uncertain how to start the conversation when an alert popped up from Virgil himself.

_ I had a good time, thanks for paying too. - Nightshade, 2:07pm. _

Remus blinked, staring at the message as he read it over and over again. He began typing up a few different messages, deleting each one again. He was overthinking this, Remus needed to play to his strengths.

_ The flower pot man smiles and he has manners, who knew?! - Remus, 2:09pm. _

_ Oh wow, coming from the man with a bog brush for a moustache; you steal that from those stick-on facial hair kids packs? - Nightshade, 2:09pm. _

Remus laughs out loud as he goes through his apartment, using one hand to tap away at the phone keyboard and the other one to start up the coffee machine so he can pour himself a cup. He ignores the weird looks he gets from Janus and the concerned ones from Patton, the couple clearly surprised by the dumb look that Remus could only imagine was the  _ high _ of talking with Virgil. Even over texts, this man did things to him. 

_ Knowing your friends with Pat, I had expected you to be boring when I first met you. - Remus, 2:10pm. _

_ Not what you were expecting? - Nightshade, 2:10pm. _

_ Nope! - Remus, 2:10pm. _

The conversation, the back and forth; it’s easy and it doesn’t feel as if Remus is straining himself to keep it going. He could talk with Virgil forever like this, not once does he feel like he is pushing boundaries or making someone uncomfortable as he had done in previous attempts to date people. 

_ I’ll hope that’s a compliment then; when are we having our next meeting, Charlie Chaplin? - Nightshade, 2:11pm. _

_ You’re the man in charge, you tell me. - Remus, 2:11pm. _

_ I’ll make time for you whenever, I can work around shit. - Nightshade, 2:11pm. _

Remus is taken aback, uncertain if Virgil is being sincere in a way he hopes or if he’s just reading too much into things. It’s anxiety-inducing and it takes a few minutes for Remus to gather himself, uncertain how he wants to respond. It only just hits him  _ now _ how much he’d like things with Virgil to work out and he spends so long thinking on it that it’s an hour or so before he replies with a date and time.

He thinks for a moment afterwards when he gets a simple message confirming that Virgil can do that day, chewing on his lip as he types before going to put the phone down altogether. He needs a moment to process all this. 

_ By the way, it was a compliment. - Remus, 3:09pm. _


	4. IV

There’s a horrific buzzing noise, one that isn’t his alarm and is unfamiliar to him. It takes Remus a minute to find his phone after he knocks it to the floor, peering with heavy eyelids to see that a phone call is coming in, eliciting a groan from him. He doesn’t even realise who's calling him when he answers, though the voice on the other end jolts him awake, his heart dropping into his stomach. He doesn’t even question why Virgil is up at such a ridiculous time.

“Come to my shop, I have some flowers I want you to look at.” 

Remus looks out through the gaps of his blinds, his voice thick with sleep as the light of the day barely peers out over the cityscape. He’s almost tempted to hang up and fall back asleep, he had the graveyard shift last night and it was _hell_ on his muscles, an ache in his back reminding him he ought to save up for a new mattress.

“Why the fuck you calling so early about the flower arrangements?” Remus yawns, stifling it halfway through when he hears shuffling through the crackling of the phone. “I mean, it’s not even time for your store to open, dude, it’s not even seven in the morning.”

“It’s fine, whatever, I’ll arrange another time or something--” 

Remus interrupts, already up now and gathering his clothes from a clean laundry pile haphazardly thrown on his desk chair, “It’s whatever, man. I’ll grab a coffee and come over.”

There is a sharp inhale on Virgil’s end of the phone and Remus wonders if Virgil called him for more than just an early morning flower arrangement. It’s enough for him to be concerned for his well being, he already picked up on how Virgil had a hostile attitude as a front so god knows what else that man has going through his head. It shouldn’t make him more eager to wake up a little quicker but it does, it’s almost scary how much he wants to see Virgil at the drop of a hat. 

“Thanks,” Virgil says, his voice quiet and low before he hangs up with no warning. 

Remus stretches out and cracks his back, relieving the pain just enough for the time being. Dragging himself to the bathroom, Remus feels a little more awake after standing in the searing heat of the shower until his skin goes red before getting out and getting dressed. He just ends up throwing on a pair of joggers and an old t-shirt with a hole in the bottom, the logo faded from how many times he has worn it in his old college days. 

He’s not feeling up to par, not even close to functioning like an ordinary human being but he slips out the apartment without so much as a sound from Janus’ room and he’s thankful for it. 

* * *

On his way down to Take It or Leaf It, Remus ends up stopping by the nearest Starbucks. He isn’t the biggest fan of their coffee but he can’t complain when it’s convenient. He ends up picking himself up a black coffee for himself and without thinking too much on why he remembers so readily that Virgil has a sweet tooth, he gets a vanilla frappuccino for Virgil. 

He drives to the flower shop, getting out of his car with both drinks in hand and eyes heavy. He should be less surprised the door is unlocked when he pushes it open with his hip but he’s too tired to care, he’s just concerned why Virgil would want him here so early. As the door shuts behind him, Remus notices he can’t see Virgil _anywhere_ and instead decides to just call out for him rather than wander the store, “Virgil?”

“One second!” Virgil yells from the back and Remus thinks he hears him curse, stumbling out the back. He notices the grimace on Virgil’s face and the dark circles around his eyes are worse than usual when he emerges, he looks just as worse off as Remus feels. “Hey, you can come in the back.” 

“Are you okay?” Remus raises an eyebrow, approaching him and sitting on the countertop instead, setting Virgil’s drink closer to the tired looking man. “I know you got a sweet tooth, figured you’d need the pick me up.”

Virgil slumps against his leg, leaning back against the counter as the frappe sits comfortably in his hands, he looks so small for someone who's taller than Remus and it makes Remus want to pull Virgil into a hug. Instead, he taps his fingers along the side of the cup, “You want to talk about it?” 

“My ex called me,” Virgil mumbles into his cup and Remus barely catches it, “I had a panic attack, nothing new but I couldn’t sleep afterwards.”

“Do I have to beat them up? Do I have to dunk a bitch?” Remus frowned, ready to jump off the counter and slaughter someone for making Virgil feel so _small_ and _frail_. He doesn’t like it, Virgil is usually so vibrant and hostile but he’s got the sweetest smile and his laugh that is so contagious. “Seriously, I’ll gut them.”

Virgil laughs, it’s tired but genuine and he looks over his shoulder at Remus, “I’d rather you didn’t go to jail for murder but the sentiment is nice. It’s nothing for you to worry about, I’ve been working on it with my therapist but you just have bad days, y’know?”

“Yeah,” Remus nods and he reaches out to squeeze Virgil lightly on the shoulder to emphasise his support. “I’m always here if you need me though, either for moral support or venting. Murder is always on the table too.”

“I think I’d prefer you here with me rather than locked away in some old jail cell,” Virgil says as if it's the most natural thing in the world and Remus _soars_. He’s got that mischievous smirk that makes Remus’ skin erupt into goosebumps and his toes curl in excitement, “Come on, let me show you what I’ve been working on in the back.”

“The back, eh?” Remus gets down, taking a drink of his coffee before he follows Virgil through a narrow hallway into a larger room. He takes note of the numerous racks that hold buckets of different flowers and green alongside one wall and nearby, there is a long table. He wiggles his eyebrows at Virgil and jokingly says, “When you mentioned a back room, I was hoping for a bed and some Barry White.”

“I don’t think you’re a Barry White type of guy,” Virgil retorts, rolling his eyes. He waits for Remus by the table where there are a bunch of flowers spread out. There is an array of colour, primarily red, blue and white as they had discussed.

Picking up the only flower he recognises by name, a red rose, he’s surprised by how open the bloom is and he’s honestly impressed, “You’re _really_ good at this, how do you get them to bloom so well?”

“There is a lot of steps before all of this but you can just open them up with enough care using your fingers, just pry them open gently so you don’t rip the petals,” Remus watches as Virgil takes the petals of the rose and flip the petals, prying them apart gently by a few millimeters at a time until the rose opens up in a beautiful bloom. It’s bizarre, amazingly so though and he watches how Virgil descends into his element. He looks calmer doing this, more serene and he’s just as beautiful as the rose itself. “Afterwards, you just put them in the bucket upright so the petals don’t get damaged.”

“That’s amazing, these are fucking beautiful.”

“Duh, they’re my flowers,” Virgil smirks, putting the flower away in a bucket, “You think I’d do anything less than perfect?” 

“Someone’s cocky,” Remus chuckles, knowing Virgil has every right to be. “It sounds like you’ve got this all figured out, what do you need me for?”

“I’ve got the flowers picked out; red roses, blue delphinium, white peonies and some white hoary stock but I’m having trouble deciding on the greenery that’ll accompany it, just to spruce up the framework for the bridal bouquet.” Virgil uses the hair band tied around his wrist to pull his hair into a small bun, “I was hoping you could help me pick one out and maybe help me.”

Remus doesn’t pick up the _help me_ part, focusing on where Virgil directs him to the greenery for the bouquet. There are a variety of different plants he couldn’t name for the life of him, instead he just reaches out for the first one that draws his attention. It’s a branch with rounded leaves that branch out, soft to the touch and it has a dusted white colour to the green underneath, “What’s these ones?” 

“Dusty Miller or Silver Ragwort, the latter isn’t the best name for it but they’re not bad, they go well with white centric bouquets.” 

Remus can feel Virgil’s eyes on him as he puts the branch back and inspects each one, answering every question that he may have on the different branches of greenery. He doesn’t know much about bouquets or anything, it’s never been his specialty and he’s always had a shit time at growing flowers or caring for plants of any kind. Remus is pretty sure he killed a succulent once. 

“The bouquet greenery is important, it keeps the whole thing stable because it’d collapse otherwise,” Virgil taps his fingers against the table, an eyebrow raised at Remus’ pacing back and forth between the buckets of greenery. “Come on and pick something already, I want to show you how to do it.” 

“Someone’s eager,” Remus grinned, “What happened about this being the most important part of the bouquet? You can’t rush art, Virgil!”

“Don’t sass me, buttercup.”

Of all the things to come out of Virgil’s mouth, that makes Remus reel. He opens his mouth, likely looking akin to a goldfish before he feels his cheeks heat up at the embarrassment of it all. It was a weirdly endearing nickname and somewhat sweet, enough that it makes Remus go a fierce red that puts the roses to shame. Virgil seems to know it too because he’s grinning despite his own blushing cheeks. 

“Uh, I’m not…” Remus coughs, trying to regain his dignity “I’m not sassing, just want to take my time. I’d hate for you to make this thing and it look like shit.”

“Me make it?” Virgil chuckles, “Oh no, you’re going to make it. I’m going to teach you.” 

“Wait, seriously?” Remus looks up and Virgil is closer now, hands crossed over his chest and _god,_ for a florist he has nice arms. He wonders if it’d be weird to compliment them and has to bite on his tongue to stop himself, focusing back on the greenery. Everything feels warm and a little light-headed, deciding to wait for Virgil to talk first. 

“Go ahead and pick one then I’ll show you how it’s done.” Remus nods and follows the instructions, picking up a few of the dusty millers and some silver dollar eucalyptus leaves at varying heights. When Virgil doesn’t insult his choices, he walks back to the table with him. “So are we making this open and wide or more tight-knit and closed?”

“I guess open and flowy?” Remus questions, he isn’t sure if he’s being honest but he liked the look of what Virgil was doing earlier with the rose. “My brother is a pretty _extra_ kind of guy and he’s desperate to do the bouquet thing so it’s probably best to tailor to him. I doubt Logan is going to give a shit.”

There is a pause after Remus lays down the greenery, looking over at Virgil, “Am I _really_ making my brother’s flowers? I feel like this is a bad idea.”

Virgil chuckles and Remus prays he sees his point, “How about I just teach you then for fun? We’ll think of it as a trial run for how your brother’s bouquet is going to look.” 

Nodding, Remus feels relief wash over him knowing _his_ rendition of the bouquet won’t be the real one. With the pressure dissipating, Remus decides he still wants an open bouquet, tailoring to what Virgil’s own arrangements out in the front of the store look like. 

“We can work with that,” Virgil nods and helps gather a few branches of greenery for him and begins to help Remus put together the bouquet as he talks him through it. “You’ll want to arrange them on different planes to fan them out, there we go and now curve them a little so we can nestle the flowers inside.”

Remus carefully follows the instructions he's given to the best of his ability, though he doesn’t get it right on the first time and looks fit to give up right away. He doesn’t get a chance when Virgil reaches over to guide him through the motion again, showing him how to bend the stems but all Remus can focus on is the way their hands are touching, tensing until Virgil himself realises and the florist pulls away.

"Right, we're going to tie the stems together with rubber bands now," Virgil scurries off quickly to get them from a drawer in a desk that is covered in paperwork, a little laptop nestled under the organised chaos. When he comes back, he ties them together for Remus, "Now we can add the flowers. I got a few dethorned already for you to pick from." 

"You're not going to teach me how to dethorn flowers?" 

"You'd fucking stab yourself or something, fuck no. I don't want you hurting yourself." 

"A true gentleman," Remus drawled but he smiled at the gesture regardless. "Is this how you flirt then?" 

Virgil turns away from him with a huff, a red blush running up his face, "Will you just fucking listen?" 

"What are you going to do if I don't?" Remus teases, "Bite me?" 

"I just might," Virgil challenges, gnashing his teeth. If it wasn't for the adorable dusting of red on his cheeks, Remus might have been a little surprised. 

Instead, he picks out a few roses that catch his eyes. He hates roses normally, they were always Roman's favourite flower and it was just such a boring cliché that it made Remus want to escape his own flesh prison just to escape being near his brother during those days when he'd have to listen to Roman talk about his seventh crush of the month. He appreciated them a little more now. 

"I want to use these," Remus picked up a few and set them on the table, "You mind helping me pick something that goes with them?" 

"I'd go with tiger lilies or dahlias, they both compliment roses really well," Virgil goes over to the bucket and takes a moment to decide, eventually settling on tiger lilies. "Let's try these." 

"You're the boss, Virge," Remus chuckles as Virgil returns with the flowers in hand. 

"Careful, Remus," Virgil says in a little sing-song tone and it's enough to make Remus want to melt. "The power might go to my head." 

After spending the next few minutes handing over the flowers and talking him through symbolism, Virgil helps Remus assemble the flowers and fill in the greenery. For the most part, Remus is just listening to Virgil talk passionately about his work and holding the bouquet but it's nice, Virgil is in his element. It looks very much like how Remus feels when it comes to his art and quite frankly, Remus might _just_ be able to admit he has a crush on Virgil with viewing it as a bad thing waiting to happen. 

During the flower arranging lesson, Logan texts Remus about the wedding. He pulls his phone out, using one hand to keep the bouquet steady and the other to unlock his phone. 

_Remus, we'll need to know if you are planning to bring a plus one to the wedding. We'll be contacting catering in a few weeks and I'd rather forgo any issues with the caterer. Message me back. - Logan, 7:27am._

Remus tries to suppress the groan that threatens to escape but he can't hide the grimace on his face. 

"Who was that?" Virgil looks a little anxious when he asks his follow-up question, "Your boyfriend or something?" 

"He'd be lucky," Remus snorts, "No, it was just Logan asking about me having a fucking plus one again. I don't know, man, not as if I have anyone to take who isn't already invited."

"Hm," is all he gets in response, Virgil seems to be giving the flowers his full attention instead so Remus tries to change the topic. 

"Thanks for teaching me this or I guess attempting to, it's been nice to give it a shot. I'm not going to be catching up to you anytime." 

"It's no big deal," Virgil shrugs and Remus wonders if he's done something to upset him. 

The two continue to work on the bouquet and when it's finished, rubber bands securing the stems to hold it together, Virgil goes off and finds a nice silk ribbon that is a deep purple colour. Remus is amazed by the bouquet but most of all, he realises how nice purple and green looks when the ribbon ties around the lush green stems. 

"This looks amazing," Remus says, awestruck. "I can't imagine what you're going to do with Roman's shit, it'll be ridiculously good if this is your idea of a trial run." 

"You picked most of it," Virgil watches him intently and seemingly lost in thought. He starts chewing on his thumb nail, "You really think they're that good?" 

"Yeah, they're gorgeous…" Remus is looking Virgil straight in the eyes when he says that, holding eye contact until Virgil breaks it to take the flowers from him. 

"I'll be right back, I'm going to get these a vase." Virgil takes the flowers in hand, worrying his lower lip before he disappears from view into an adjoining room.

Remus slurps the last of his coffee, grimacing at the cold and now disgusting bean juice. Iced coffee is fine, it's a trademark of his people but coffee that's gone cold is not okay on any level. He heads out to the front of the store, finding the bin behind the counter to dump the coffee cup when Virgil follows behind him with the vase in hand. 

"Take them with you," Virgil pushes the vase into his hands, refusing to look Remus in the eyes. 

"Huh?" Remus is a little stunned and for once, he feels a bit bad about taking something for free. He scrambles for his wallet, "Shit, let me pay you or something then. I can't take something off you for free like that."

"Just take them!" Virgil snaps, he's blushing a fierce shade of red and way past the point of hiding it. His voice gets a little quieter, "They're a gift for today." 

Taking a deep breath, Remus takes the vase with a smile, "Uh, sure then. If you insist. Thank you, Virgil." 

"It's no big deal," Virgil shrugs it off with a small smile of his own, "We'll finalise Roman and Logan’s arrangements in the next few meetings, centerpieces and what not. I'll text you my schedule." 

With that, the two part ways for now as Remus heads out of the store and back home

* * *

The flowers brighten up his dreary bedroom, that's for certain. He shows them off to Patton and Janus at first, creatively managing to evade their prying questions about his morning with Virgil and making it back to his room where he sets the flowers down on his bedside drawer.

It's only when he decides to break out the watercolours to paint the flowers in an effort to make a gift of his own as a thanks that he notices a small envelope nestled in the flowers. Plucking it from the bouquet, Remus pulled open the envelope and took out the card inside. 

_I've never been brave enough to ask but you make me want to take risks, how about a real date? - V._

Remus is frozen, processing everything as he reads the card over and over again. He tries to come up with every possible excuse that this isn't real but when he can't come to a logical conclusion, he finds himself grinning from ear to ear so wide it'd make the Cheshire Cat jealous. This feeling, the tightness in his chest and a warmth that spreads throughout his body is foreign to him but he finds he likes it _a lot_. 

He grabs his phone and manages to capture a picture of the card and flowers, sending it to Roman immediately. This must be how Roman felt every time he went on dates and sent Remus all the details he once found boring. Maybe he just hadn't found a person that made him feel _something_ other than obligation or lust. 

_So I had a bit of a flower arrangement lesson this morning. - Remus, 8:45am._

_Oh my god, this is happening! - Roman, 8:47am._

_I told you, Remus! I fucking told you! - Roman, 8:48am._

_Yeah, it's fucking adorable right? - Remus, 8:48am._

_Yeah, yeah, what are you doing texting me? Call him! - Roman, 8:48am._

_Don't you think that's too soon? Wouldn't it be a bit needy? - Remus, 8:48am._

_Are you kidding me right now, Rem?! - Roman, 8:49am._

_Call him, call him now! - Roman, 8:49am._

_Alright, chill bro. I'm gonna call him now. - Remus, 8:49am._

_Damn right, you go get yourself a man! Remember this moment for when it's your wedding! - Roman, 8:50am._

Remus rolls his eyes, setting the card down beside the vase and smiles at the flowers now that he _knows_ the whole lesson was a romantic gesture. It's sweet, it must have been absolutely nerve-wracking for Virgil as well. Remus takes a deep breath, wanting to come off calm and collected as he picks up the phone and dials Virgil's number. It shouldn't be this terrifying or this exhilarating but it is, it feels like one of the turning points in Remus' life and he's so scared he's going to mess it up. 

He tries to push back any intrusive thoughts that tell him how badly this is going to go or how he's misconstrued the message in some way, waiting as the phone rings. It rings a few too many times and Remus almost gives up until the phone clicks, Virgil's voice on the other end. 

"Hey," Virgil sounds nervous and it makes him feel better about the call. 

"Hi," Remus responds and the two drift into silence. He doesn’t know where to go from here. "I found your card." 

"So?"

The anxiety is so potent in his voice and if anyone has anything to be nervous about in this situation, it's Virgil. It doesn't seem to be a common occurrence that the guy puts himself out there in any situation, especially not dating. 

He knows what he wants to say but he stumbles, blurting out something stupid instead, "Those are some tiny ass envelopes, real small." 

"I got them from a stationary shop," Virgil mumbles, "So what do you say then?" 

Remus almost gives in before thinking, deciding to play the long game, "Say to what?" 

"Are you really going to make me say it?" Virgil whines and Remus can practically hear the pout he knows the florist is sporting. 

"If you say it, it makes it real." 

There's a sharp inhale of breath, "Is that a yes?" 

Remus chuckles in response, "Yeah, it's a yes." 

He can hear Virgil exhale loudly in relief, mumbling thanks to whatever God was listening and it makes Remus laugh again. God, Virgil was going to be the death of him. 

"Thank fuck, uh, just tell me what nights you're not working, okay?" Virgil sounds like he's already planning everything, "I want this to be a good first date, a great one even so--" 

"I thought this whole ploy to get me into your shop this morning was a date," Remus teases, "Definitely felt like one." 

"Oh god no, fuck that. I want to take you on a real date." 

Remus laughs at that, "Well, I look forward to it. I'll text you later, have a good day Virgil." 

He heard the other man's breath hitch in his throat, Virgil being quick to clear his throat, "Don't make me wait this time, okay?" 

"Wouldn't dream of it, nightshade," Remus says before hanging up, letting himself collapse on his bed with the stupidest grin on his face. 

He can't wait. 


	5. V

Today's the day, the day of the big date finally arrives. It shouldn't be a big deal, it's just a simple date but Remus had tried to remember the last time he'd been on a real date and boy, it was a long time ago now. 

He's laying awake staring up at the ceiling, heart pounding in his chest and pulse racing at mach speed. Taking a minute or two to come around before checking the time, Remus realises how glad he is that night shifts exist. If it wasn't for the fact that he had been working last night, the day would have just been Remus chewing at his nails as nerves ate away at him. Instead, he'd spent half the day sleeping and was able to get up onto his feet for a leisurely stroll to the kitchen. 

Going straight for the cupboards to see what dwindling food they had on the shelves, Remus hadn't realised Patton coming into the kitchen from Janus' bedroom. 

"Hey," Patton said, pulling Remus away from the fantasy of the shared kitchen being a Masterchef set rather than the cramped space it was. 

“Morning, Patton!" Remus shook the Kraft Mac and Cheese box in his hand as he turned to face the other man. "Mac and Cheese?" 

"Uh, no thanks…" Patton gave a small smile, though his expression dropped. "Can we talk?" 

"What's up?" Picking away at the cardboard flaps, Remus gave a nod and gestured for Patton to do so, "If it's about the leftovers, I didn't--" 

“It’s not about the leftovers,” Patton interrupted, “I want to talk about Virgil.”

Patton looked  _ serious _ , more so than he'd ever done before. It was a strange look on him and it was intimidating in the sense that he felt like a child, preparing to be scolded for his wrongdoings. Remus tore at the packaging in his anxiety. 

"What about Virgil?" 

“He told me you two were going on a date today so I thought I'd try catch you before you go," Patton started, his tone stern and patronising in a way that made Remus' skin crawl. He couldn't figure out which was worse, Patton acting like  _ this _ or when he was being overly friendly with him. 

"Spit it out then," Remus pulled a face, knowing Patton would be able to pick up on his unease. He was going to end up demolishing this box. 

“I don't think you should be dating Virgil."

The cardboard box ripped in two, the packet skidding across the kitchen tiles after making its attempt to soar through the air. It didn't matter, Remus was  _ pissed _ now. 

"It's nothing against you, Remus," Patton bent down to pick up the mac and cheese, "You just have this reputation for sleeping around and ghosting people, Virgil is  _ fragile _ and I don't want you to go out with him just to hurt his feelings. You can understand my concerns, I'm just looking out for him." 

"You think I'm just going to ghost him?" Remus snapped, snatching the flimsy packet out of Patton's grasp, flailing it at the man. "How little do you think of me that you think I'm some heartless bastard to do such a thing? You've known me a month or two and you think you know me so well that you can start telling me how it is?" 

"I didn't mean it like that, Remus," Patton tried, though Remus was quick to speak over any further explanation. 

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Remus had lost his appetite now, tossing the mac and cheese packet on the counter with enough force for it to bounce. "Let's get something straight here, pal. You don't know me, you don't get to say a damn word about me and another thing, for someone claiming to be Virgil's best friend, you're awfully patronising. He's a grown man for fuck sake, Pat, get a grip." 

"Someone has to look out for him," Patton yelled back, flustered from anger. 

“Oh, get over yourself." Remus sneered at the other man, towering over him as he stood up straight. "He's a grown man who can look after himself, you can't be treating him like a child over his anxiety. It's patronising as fuck and you need to learn some boundaries."

Patton didn't have anything to follow up with, if his gaping mouth opening and closing was any indication. It didn't matter, Remus wasn't interested in anything Patton had to say further on the matter before storming off to his bedroom. 

He could hear Patton calling him, following close behind. Once he reached his bedroom door, Remus spared a look back at Patton who slid along the floorboards. 

"Not that it's any of your business but I happen to like Virgil a lot, I want this to work more than anything."

With that, he slammed the door and locked it before Patton could respond. He turned on his speaker and began playing music, turning the volume up so that it was loud enough to warrant a noise complaint in an attempt to drown out Patton on the other side of the door. 

The nerve of Patton, thinking he could just waltz into  _ his _ apartment and talk all High and mighty as if he knew Remus. He tried to ignore the sinking disappointment in his stomach that people like Patton thought that way about him, going as far as tidying his room as a distraction. It was only after an hour or so that the noise of the apartment settled down, the front door clicking shut. Janus must have taken Patton out to give Remus space, calm them both down. Janus was always good at being a mediator when he wanted to be, it was just a shame his boyfriend was a huge prick. 

Shaking his head, he wasn't going to focus on Patton and his nonsense. He was far too excited for this date and he'd be damned if he let Patton ruin this for him. Instead, he took a few photos of his clothing choices he'd laid out and sent them to Roman for advice. 

Virgil had wanted him to dress comfortably, though Remus suspected there was a limit on how comfy. It was just easier having Roman walk him through it, he'd always been the dress to impress type and he wanted to impress Virgil. 

It wasn't as if he hadn't been on dates before but Patton's words lingered in the back of his mind. Between all the one night stands and continuous hook-up with familiar faces that blurred together, he had rarely managed to swing a third date and those who did, Remus never kept them around for long. His stomach tightened at the thought, twisting in knots as he wondered if Virgil would think less of him for it. 

That was a path he didn't want to walk down. Redirecting his focus on his appearance was easier, going about styling his hair and trimming his moustache before changing into the outfit Roman helped put together. Pulling on the black jeans he’d picked out, Remus caught himself in his bedroom mirror.

They hugged his legs in a tight yet comfortable way, a snug look that showed off his best  _ assets _ if he may say so. After that, it was just a simple white v-neck shirt and a dark green flannel he wore over the top. It was probably the nicest he’d looked for anyone in a long time, especially with the leather jacket he planned to wear with it to tie the look together as Roman put it. 

Snapping a photo, Remus sent it to the group chat that he shared with Janus, Roman and Logan. It was reassuring to have Roman gushing over how much of a genius he is that he could fix even Remus’ terrible fashion choices. Apparently jeans with one whole trouser leg ripped off doesn’t make for good impressions. He chuckles as Logan’s message of a simple thumbs up comes through when he notices Janus sees the photos. His friend says nothing in the chat, though a notification for a private message comes through.

_ Good luck with your date, Remus. - Janus, 6:07pm. _

Remus can’t help his impulsive urge to be petty, tapping away his snide message in response.

_ I will. Make sure your boyfriend knows he’s a prick. - Remus, 6:07pm. _

_ I’m working on that but you know, in a less Remus way. - Janus, 6:07pm. _

Remus smiles, his shoulders sagging in relief. He can leave Patton to Janus, he’d know how to handle the situation better than Remus ever could. Keeping an eye on the time and noticing there was a good hour and a half before Virgil was picking him up, he busies himself with a commission he got a month or two ago. This piece would pay his half of the rent, all for something a little  _ saucy _ . He can’t complain, it helps pay the bills and he is good at this type of thing. 

It gets increasingly harder to focus the more he checks the clock, the time drawing closer to when Virgil is supposed to be picking him up. The closer it gets to the time, the more Remus finds himself wondering if Patton might be right. He did have a pattern in his previous dating life whenever it came to people who sought out something more serious from him but it was never because he was  _ bored _ . He just didn’t  _ feel _ it, not the way Roman talks about Logan or how Janus looks at Patton and  _ that _ is what he wants. It was just easier to come across as the sex-crazed maniac everyone percieved him to be, Patton isn’t the first person to assume it after all but Virgil makes him  _ feel _ something. He can’t name it, it’s just unbelievable and it makes Remus want to try so desperately to keep Virgil around. 

He’s so stuck in his work and this train of thought that it takes a knock at the door for him to be pulled out of his trance, a lump stuck in his throat as he scrambles to save and turn everything off before answering the door. Remus didn’t know what to expect when he opened the door but he’s nothing short of being stunned by Virgil standing there in wine red-purple jeans and a form-fitting black denim button up that conveniently shows off the florist’s arms and broad shoulders in a way that Remus can’t help but stare. In fact, Remus finds he can’t say anything.

“You’re staring,” Virgil pushes off the door frame, chewing on his lower lip as he raises an eyebrow, “You okay there?”

“Pretty…” Remus manages before coughing, his face turning a pretty solid shade of red. “Uh, pretty good, yeah I’m good.”

“Aw, you think I’m pretty.” Virgil teases him with a grin before pulling his other hand from behind his back, a bouquet of pink and red gerbera daisies tied together with a green silk ribbon like the other flowers before. “Here, for you.”

Remus takes the bouquet with a chuckle, “You’re pulling out all the stops here, how sweet.”

“I know I am,” Virgil looks Remus up and down, “You tidy up nice, I was worried you were going to come out in joggers and a shirt that had a week old stain on it.”

“I’m not that bad,” Remus was met with a skeptical look before rolling his eyes, “Whatever man, let me just put these in some water and then we can head out, okay?”

Remus managed to find a vase for the flowers and find a good window sill in the living room to give them some light, coming back to the door where Virgil was waiting for him. Deciding to be the bold one this time, Remus stuck his hand out expectantly and watched as his date appeared to go through the emotional equivalent of whiplash when he realised what Remus was trying to do. It’s cute, admirable even that Virgil got this far and managed to come across so bold at times but it was just as cute and hilarious to catch the florist off guard with little things such as wanting to hold hands. Eventually, Virgil put his hand in Remus’ own and the two made their way out of the apartment complex and towards Virgil’s truck. 

* * *

The drive there took longer than it should have done when Remus’ growling stomach felt up to challenging the radio. Virgil found it funny enough, teasing him as they stopped by an In-and-Out on the way to their destination, piling the car up with food enough for six. Remus felt a  _ little _ bad but Virgil had insisted, who was he to say no? 

“Your truck is going to smell like fast food and grease by tomorrow,” Remus took in a deep breath, laughing when he caught Virgil grimacing at the thought.

“I wonder who's fault that is.”

“It could be worse, we could have a dead body stashed in the back.” Remus smirked, looking over at Virgil to take in this beautiful man for a second. Right before he shoved a whole handful of fries into his mouth and began talking with his mouth full, “So where are we going?”

“Chew first,” Virgil scolded him before his nerves came bubbling up to the surface, “So there's this guy who buys flowers for his husband, the two of them run a little drive-in movie theatre. I thought maybe we could catch this old horror movie marathon, they’re playing some old classics like Frankenstein and Wolfman…”

He laughs nervously, Remus can tell he’s nervous with how Virgil is side-eying him in an attempt to catch his reaction. He wants to reach out and touch him, reassure him by holding his hand or running his fingers over the nape of his neck. He wants to be all  _ sappy _ and  _ romantic _ like Roman is, it’s the most gross feeling and it makes Remus grin like a madman at the way it makes his chest fit to burst. 

“That sounds like a fucking awesome date,” Remus says instead, rocking in his seat in genuine enthusiasm. The thought of a drive-in cinema, horror films that have probably aged terribly, a shit ton of junk food and a cute guy to cuddle sends shivers up his spine, a tingly feeling in his toes and fingertips. He can’t help but rock a little more from excitement, “You’re a genius, Vee!”

Relaxing, Virgil meets Remus’ smile with one of his own and the two settle back into conversation. Eventually, they pull up to a large parking lot with a screen Remus can see as they drive along the wooden fence. Stopping in front of the small booth at the entrance, Virgil exchanges pleasantries with a man there, wiry with dark hair and orange highlights. He thinks he catches October somewhere in the conversation, though he isn’t sure if that’s the guy’s  _ real _ name or if it’s just a nickname given how he looks like a literal halloween display. 

Either way,  _ October _ seems to know Virgil well and it’s pretty clear a deal was struck between the two when Virgil is allowed to drive straight through without paying. Parking up in a good spot right in the centre, Remus gives Virgil a strange look when he realises he’s parking backwards.

“Not to be a buzzkill or anything,” Remus gesturing behind them, “but the screen is back there.”

“I know that,” Virgil unclipped his seatbelt and grabbed two of the bags of junk food in one hand, gesturing for Remus to follow him outside as he got out of the car. Remus gathered the rest of the bags and followed him, “I’ve never seen any of these films myself but they sound up your alley, I remember you mentioning being a film buff a few days ago.”

Going around the back of the truck, Virgil climbed into the cargo bed and put down the In-and-Out bags, helping Remus into the back. Before he could settle down, Virgil was already jumping out and running back with their drinks and a blanket he’d shoved down the back of the seats in preparation for this, laying it down over the cold metal. 

“Now, you may sit.”

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” Remus chuckled, sitting down and taking the drinks from Virgil so his date could climb back into the cargo bay and settle down next to him without the looming terror of spilled coke. It was sweet, Virgil had thought so hard about this and put in so much effort. It made Remus feel  _ special _ , something no man had ever made him feel before. 

“Is it too much?” Virgil asked worriedly, “I just thought--”

Cutting Virgil off by covering his mouth, Remus grinned from ear to ear. He couldn’t  _ stop _ smiling from how cute Virgil looked with that pout, how he went a tickled pink from the close contact when Remus leaned in to press their foreheads together.

“It’s amazing, Virgil.”

The moment was tense and god, Remus could have just kissed Virgil right there and then. The whole world was still around them, even the chattering of people and the engines of running cars became white noise to him when he looked into those brown eyes. That was until Virgil licked Remus’ handle, catching him off guard. Cackling at the coating of saliva, Remus got his revenge by wiping the spit on Virgil’s face as the other man flailed in his attempt to flee. 

“Retribution!” Remus yelled, ignoring the weird looks they were getting.

“You’re a fucking disaster,” Virgil rolled his eyes, using his sleeve to get rid of the spit dripping down his face. He couldn’t hide the smile creeping up on him though, not when Remus couldn’t look away. It was such a stupid moment, so dumb and so  _ them _ . Nothing felt more right than caring for Virgil,  _ feeling _ for Virgil. It was like having a chest-burster living in his heart being around him or you know, something less graphic and violent. 

“You love it, Nightshade,” Remus teased, his smile softening. He chuckled when Virgil startled as a loud noise came through the speakers, the screen illuminating the whole lot, “The movie’s starting.” 

“You better shut up and enjoy it then,” Virgil relaxed, settling back against the truck. Remus did the same, the two of them with their eyes on the screen and junk food piled between them at an arm’s length. 

The experience thus far was enjoyable, Remus spent most of it mocking the characters and pointing out flaws while Virgil just nodded along, occasionally giving his input and inching closer and closer to Remus throughout the film as their food pile dwindled down to burnt up fries and wrappers that were shoved into the paper bags they came in. When Remus turned to look at him, it appeared Virgil was just as surprised by how close they’d gotten, their fingertips brushing against one another when Remus had leaned on his left hand.

“Hey there,” Remus breathed out, voice low and quiet. He could feel the palatable tension building up between them and it was so tempting to do something about it, especially when Virgil was looking at him like  _ that _ , chewing on his bottom lip and being all awkward about it. 

“Hey yourself,” Virgil managed, chuckling awkwardly as he rubbed at his arm. There was a beat of silence as the two stayed there, so close and yet too far away for Remus’ liking. “I was just wondering something…”

“What would that be?” Remus let his head tilt to the side, peering up at Virgil. Sometimes he forgets that Virgil is taller than him, if he didn’t slouch so much, it’d be more obvious. “Virgil?”

“I was just wondering--” Virgil stopped midway, eyes widening as he saw right through Remus and the colour drained from his face. Remus had never seen him look so distraught and panicked, a real deer caught in the headlights situation.

“What’s wrong?” Remus looked around, catching sight of a few people but he couldn’t pick out anyone that might be an issue. Everyone seemed relatively wrapped up in their own affairs, chatting amongst themselves or going off to use the bathroom. “Who am I looking at?”

“My ex is here,” Virgil mumbled, managing to make himself seem so small compared to what he was a second ago. “The one coming this way, black hoodie.”

A man was making his way over now that he’d spotted Virgil cowering behind Remus and Remus didn’t need him to say a word to know this guy was a  _ jerk _ . He could just tell from his stupid smirk and fucking hell, he just  _ would _ be the tall, dark and brooding type with  _ that _ eye make-up and stupid hoodie he probably hadn’t taken off since his emo phase in middle school. Remus tensed, jaw clenching when Virgil’s ex stopped at the truck, resting his arms over the cargo bay.

“Virgil,” the  _ jerk _ said, dragging his eyes over Virgil, “Someone is looking good, what brings you here?”

Remus wanted to punch this guy’s teeth down his throat already, he could tell how uncomfortable Virgil was with this guy. The way he shuffled closer to Remus into the middle of the cargo bed and Remus could hear him chewing on his nails, something he noticed Virgil do a lot.

“I’m on a date,” Virgil mumbled before clearing his throat, speaking up a little louder, “I’m here with Remus on a date, Andy.” 

Andy raised an eyebrow, sparing a glance at Remus before snorting in disbelief as if he’d only just realised Remus was even there to begin with, “Uh-huh, right. Please tell me you’re joking.” 

Virgil scowled at Andy, his voice shaky but his tone sharp, ”The only joke around here is you trying your shot with me  _ again _ after I already threw your ass out.”

“You heard the man,” Remus piped up, narrowing his eyes at Andy. “Get fucked, you’re ruining our night with your Walmart brand Panic at the Disco looking ass.” 

Andy looks offended and Remus couldn’t be more pleased, smirking at the intrusive pest. He watches as Virgil’s ex pushes off the car to stand upright, though he doesn’t leave right away. Instead he stands there as if he’s king of the fucking parking lot, hands in his hoodie pockets with that  _ smug smirk _ . Remus was going to punch him. 

“Whatever, if you weren’t such a boring piece of shit in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to find someone who was worth my time,” Andy stepped back, “Call me when you want to apologise and come crawling back, have fun with your whore.”

Remus rose to his feet, ready to jump out of the truck and strangle the guy. He didn’t care what Andy thought of him, he wouldn’t be the first one today to insinuate such a thing but there was a line for Remus. That line had been crossed as soon as Andy thought he was good enough to breathe the same air as Virgil. 

“Remus, no!” 

Virgil grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down with an impressive amount of strength that sent Remus tumbling onto his backside. 

“I should break his face in for talking about you like that!” Remus snapped, pulling his wrist out of Virgil’s grasp to glare daggers into Andy’s back from afar. “I can’t believe that jerk--”

Remus heard Virgil’s breathing quicken, looking over at him. Immediately, the anger melted away and gave way for guilt and concern. Remus had never seen him look so upset and panicked, the emotions visible on his face as they coursed through him. Virgil pulled back from Remus when he tried to approach at first, pressing himself against the back of the cargo bed with his chest rising and falling faster and faster with each breath. 

“Virgil?” Remus whispered, not wanting to draw any attention to them more than he likely already had done. Maybe trying to fight Virgil’s ex wasn’t a good idea, no matter how much the bastard deserved it. 

He got no response though, Virgil was already close to tears and he was struggling to breathe. Edging closer to him, Remus let him know he was going to touch him before cupping his face soft and gentle, his thumbs wiping away stray tears and prompting Virgil to look him in the eyes.

“Focus on me, okay?” Remus waited until Virgil reluctantly nodded, “Alright, stick with me. I want you to breathe like I’m doing, deep breaths.”

Slowly, Virgil came down from the impending panic attack. His breathing was shaky still but he wasn’t struggling and that’s all Remus could ask for, pulling Virgil into a hug to let him sob out the rest of his pent-up feelings. From what little he’d experienced of Andy, it was clear that Virgil hadn’t been treated right by him and as much as Remus knew what he  _ wanted _ to do, what he needed to do was show Virgil that someone was here, someone who cared for him. 

“I’m sorry,” Virgil sniffled, his voice hoarse from crying and muffled from how he was hiding his face in Remus’ jacket. “I shouldn’t let him get to me, I ruined the date with my panicking and my stupid ex and fuck, you’re not going to call me again after this, are you?”

Remus’ heart sank hearing that, instinctively pulling away from Virgil so the other man had to look at him. Bringing a hand up to his cheek again, wiping away another stray tear that had spilled over, “You didn’t do anything wrong, Virgil; this wasn’t your fault and nothing is ruined.”

“I did though!” Virgil let out a whine, running a hand through his hair and tugging it as if it would help the stress. Remus untangled Virgil’s fingers from the locks, taking both hands now to hold them in his own. “Every time I break up with Andy, I always end up chasing away these great guys who care about me and going back to him then he breaks my heart  _ again _ and  _ again _ but I keep going back because I don’t deserve good guys like you, amazing people like  _ you _ …”

“Okay, no!” Remus frowned, covering Virgil’s mouth again the way he had done earlier in the night. “I’m not going to sit here and listen to you talk bad about yourself as if you’re some dirty old dime someone picked up off the street. You’re going to let me speak now.”

There was a pause before Virgil’s shoulders sagged, nodding. 

“I know we’re both new to  _ this _ part of our little dynamic we have going on but I have to tell you, nobody in the world has tried this hard for me. Nobody has ever made me feel like some stupid sap in a romantic comedy the way you make me feel,” Remus could feel himself shaking, pulling his hand away from Virgil and entwining their hands together again, “I love spending time with you, I love your sarcastic responses and witty humour. I love how you’re this hardcore badass who can make these killer bouquets but you’re sweet and sensitive too. I just haven’t met anyone like you before, someone who makes me feel something so strongly. It’s too early to call it love but god, I think it could go there!”

“You think you could grow to love me, even after this mess of a first date?” Virgil asks in a nervous tone. 

“I’m no romantic but god, I’d be a stupid man if I didn’t try,” Remus smiled softly. 

There is a moment where Virgil is so quiet that panic grips Remus but then Virgil is laughing bright and shameless, curling up and pressing his head against Remus’ chest as laughter bubbles over. 

Remus raises an eyebrow, though he finds himself smiling nonetheless. Laughter is better than crying, that’s for certain, “What’s so funny?” 

“Jesus, you’re something different,” Virgil’s laughter slowed to a chuckle, moving away to rub at his eyes with both sleeves before taking a deep breath, letting his arms fall into his lap and shaking his whole body off as if it would rid him of any negative emotions. 

“In a good way?” Remus was staring now, uncertain if it  _ was _ a good thing to be classified simply as  _ different _ . It normally wasn’t a good sign for most dates, very much in line with ‘it’s not you, it’s me’. 

“In the best way,” Virgil inched closer, their noses touching and Remus could feel his own breath hitch in anticipation when Virgil’s eyes flickered down to his lips. “Can I kiss you?”

“I don’t know,” Remus chuckled, “Can you?”

“Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

Virgil slowly tangled his fingers in Remus’ hair, drawing him into a kiss. It was soft and gentle, filled with nerves and anxiety but as soon as Remus pushed back against him, tongue darting out to run across Virgil’s lower lip, he was taken off guard as Virgil’s hands slipped down his arms, over his sides and pulled him up into his lap. 

“Woah!” Remus laughed, feeling light-headed and breathless at the show of strength. He could feel himself growing heated, the tingly feeling returning and a grin spreading across his face as he looked down at Virgil, “You could buy my dinner first, jeez.”

“I did buy you dinner if you haven’t forgotten me buying you half the In-and-Out menu,” Virgil chuckled, “Now, shut up and kiss me.”

For once, Remus did as he was told.

* * *

They take the scenic route back through town, discussing the movies that they  _ managed _ to watch. There were a few times where they found themselves  _ preoccupied _ with each other more than they were focusing on the film, Remus didn’t mind taking the blame for that one. 

However, when they get back to the apartment building, it hits Remus that this means the date is over. As much as he hates to admit it and despite his best efforts, it’s clear he’s disappointed. 

“What’s the sulky face for?”

“I just realised the date is over and that sucks, I was enjoying myself and I didn’t want it to end.”

“Yeah, me either…” Virgil looks over at him, reaching out to take Remus’ hand and press a kiss to his knuckles. Remus smiles, unable to suppress the small sigh of contentment and they just stay this way in the truck, enjoying each other’s company. 

Virgil pulls back reluctantly though, they can’t stay here in the truck forever but it doesn’t stop either of them drawing out the remains of the date for as long as possible, “Let me walk you up to your door?” 

Remus nods and the two get out, fingers tangled together as they walk through the building. It gives him time to process everything, assess how he’s feeling right now and the only thing he can think of from the top of his head is appreciation. 

It’s always been hard for Remus to find people who bother with him and his outrageous personality or his tendency to act first and think later. He’s glad that Virgil can keep up, that this guy is able to make him slow down even and he can appreciate that Virgil trusts him enough to be vulnerable. They’re being themselves while pushing each other in small ways, it’s new and exciting but it’s a huge relief too, there is a layer of contentment that he hasn’t ever felt with a person before. Remus looks over at Virgil as they walk and he thinks maybe, just maybe, Virgil feels the same way. 

The line of thought is brought to a halt when they stop, standing right outside Remus’ apartment door. The disappointment is clear on Remus’ face and for good reason, this is where their date ends. 

“You make it seem as if this is the last time we’ll ever see each other.”

“I don’t like waiting,” Remus thinks about inviting Virgil in, wants to ask him to stay the night but he holds back. “Thank you, I had an incredible time with you tonight.”

There is a beat of silence, a split second before Virgil leans down and kisses Remus again, a soft brush of the lips that makes Remus pull him back in when he tries to back away. Remus isn’t shy about what he wants and it’s about time he made some bold moves tonight, running his tongue over Virgil’s bottom lip and prodding gently, asking for permission and when Virgil gives him access, the two just  _ melt _ together. 

Remus breaks the silence, “Would you want to come to my brother’s wedding as my plus one?”

“Is that a question?” Virgil asks in response, breaking into a grin of his own.

Remus retorts back, “Is that an answer?” 

Virgil presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth in the soft and gentle manner that makes Remus want to do  _ something _ , do  _ anything _ just from the sheer joy it gives him; “I’d love to go.”

* * *

It was late,  _ way _ too late to be making too much noise. Remus tried to lock the door and keep quiet, toeing off his shoes at the door and shoving them under the shoe rack before tiptoeing through the apartment. He didn’t want to wake Janus or Patton up and when he caught sight of the bathroom light being on, it was easier to just sneak by.

As Remus reached his bedroom door, he was focusing so hard on trying to open the door as quietly as possible knowing Janus was working in a few hours that he hadn’t realised footsteps coming down the hallway or the fact that Patton was standing behind him until the man tapped him on the shoulder.

“ _ Fuck! _ ” Remus startled, hissing out in a high-pitched whisper to prevent himself from screaming at the top of his lungs. Turning around, he narrowed his eyes and straightened out at the sight of Patton, “Oh,  _ you _ .”

Patton looked sheepish, nervous even and he had every right to be after his behaviour this morning. Regardless, Remus couldn’t be risking an argument at this time and he wasn’t going to face the wrath of a cranky Janus just because he and Patton weren’t on good terms.

“Remus, can we talk?”

“It’d rather not,” Remus frowned, “I happened to have a  _ lovely _ date tonight and I don’t want you ruining it on a sour note with your overprotective bullshit.”

“ _ That _ is what I wanted to talk about,” Patton sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I want to apologise, I’ve been unfair to you this whole time and I’m not just talking about this morning so I understand why you wouldn’t want to listen but if you could just let me say my part?”

Patton was right, Remus didn’t have to listen and he didn’t want to either, just in case it escalated into another argument. This was Janus’ boyfriend though, he didn’t want to be putting Janus on the spot again and if Remus was being honest, it did look like Patton was being sincere about wanting to apologise.

Reluctantly, Remus let go of his bedroom door handle and gestured for Patton to speak, “Fine, go ahead.”

Patton smiled awkwardly in thanks before nodding, clearing his throat as if he’s been thinking about this apology all day, “I was in the wrong, I had no right to tell you what to do and I had no right to patronise Virgil because you were right, he can look after himself and you can do whatever you want with whoever you choose. I know you weren’t trying to hurt Virgil, I let my own emotions get the better of me and I took it out on you because I’ve got problems myself that I refused to face myself. It was unfair to you, it’s unfair to Janus and it’s unfair to Virgil and for that, I’m sorry.”

Remus tilted his head, nodding at the appropriate moments. There was an awkward silence as he processed what Patton had said. It would be easy to hold a grudge, Remus had experience in doing so but he knew the other man was genuine and sincere and from what Remus had heard from Janus, Patton hadn’t had the easiest time growing up gay in a conservative household. If anything, Remus and Patton might have more in common than either of them knew with their shitty childhoods. It might be easy to hold a grudge but Remus didn’t want to do that, it wasn’t worth it.

Holding out both arms, “Bring it in, Pat.”

Patton blinked up at him owlishly before breaking into that friendly smile he was used to, going and hugging Remus. He lifted Remus off his feet a little, it was startling but not unwelcome as the two laughed as quietly as they could before breaking away with a pat on the shoulder.

“I really am sorry about this morning,” Patton offered, “How was the date? I know Virgil will probably be telling me all about it later but I thought I’d ask.”

“It was  _ amazing _ , though we did run into Andy.”

Patton grimaced at that, “I didn’t like him.”

“I almost punched him,” Remus chuckled, “but other than that, it was the best date I’ve ever been on.”

“Are you going on a second date?” 

Remus grinned wickedly, a twinkle in his eye, “Even better, I’m taking him to the wedding.”


	6. VI

Little had changed in the past few months, Remus continued to work his graveyard shifts and make a little extra money on the side with his commissions and he continued to eat whatever leftovers Patton had left for Janus in the fridge. It was the subtle changes, ones that fell into place naturally. 

Things like Remus picking up his phone rather than letting it go straight to voicemail. 

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he checked the caller ID before grinning, answering the phone without hesitation. He could already hear the rambling on the other end, pacing back and forth across linoleum floors. 

“Virgil,” Remus tried, rolling his eyes when Virgil continued to rave on about timing and his truck or _something_. “Nightshade, hun, calm down!” 

There was a pause before Virgil mumbled on the other end of the phone, “Sorry, I’m just freaking out right now…”

“Hey, it’s alright,” Remus said between bites of his cereal. “I’m assuming you need my help with something?”

“Do you have a spare tire?” Virgil asked meekly, seemingly embarrassed by his freak out seconds ago now that he was a little less on edge, “My front wheel is fucked and I have to get the flowers to the venue so I have time to change.”

“Lucky for you, I do. I’m on my way, don’t you worry,” Remus chuckled, lingering for a moment wondering if he should say _it_ before deciding not to. He didn’t want Virgil to have a panic attack over something else when he was already so worked up. “See you in a bit.”

The drive there was uneventful, letting the thoughts flow through as the scenery raced by. In all his other relationships, Remus had grown weary and bored after the first few weeks. It's why he'd given up on dating but now he knew why, he needed someone to challenge and push him. Virgil did that, armed with cutthroat wit and sarcastic charm. 

He could barely believe it was coming up on a year now, just a few months left to go. It had been going exceptionally well, spending time at each other's apartments and the more time Remus spent with Virgil, the more certain he was that he loved him. 

A little sneaking suspicion tugged at Remus, wondering if the flat tire was _truly_ the reason for the man's anxiety or if it was the wedding itself. Virgil had been working overtime, doubling down on perfecting his craft for this wedding and no doubt, the pressure was adding up. Even so, Virgil was insistent on going with Remus from the second he'd asked. 

Remus had never taken a partner to a big event before, they barely got as far as meeting Roman. This was a big deal for them.

Parking up outside, Remus checked himself in the mirror to push back his hair and ruffle it up. He’d gone back to dying the grey streak in his hair, he’d gotten it done when Virgil had gone to touch up their roots. He looked good for now, though Roman would be nitpicking later when they got ready for the ceremony. 

The little bell rang overhead as Remus stepped into the shop, taken aback by the aroma of hundreds of flowers. Looking around, it looked like a flower bomb had exploded in the confines of the shop because Remus couldn’t see anything but flowers across the whole floor of the store, an explosion of red and blue flora as far as the eye could see on every surface. 

“Virgil?” Remus called out, stepping carefully, “I’m here to fix the tire!”

The florist popped his head out of the backroom, stepping out with another centrepiece in hand. He sighed with relief, setting the flowers down on the counter and scurried over to Remus with expertise. Remus wondered if it was always this hectic during the wedding season for Virgil but then again, Roman had to be extra and order even _more_ flowers for the venue because he couldn’t pick somewhere simple. 

“Thank fuck you’re here,” Virgil ran his hands down Remus’ arms, smiling up at him. “My truck has a bust tire, I was lucky I got back after the first batch and I’ve still got to transfer these ones, I haven’t even picked up my suit from the dry cleaners yet!”

Remus covered Virgil’s mouth with his hand, making quick shushing noises before his boyfriend could spiral, “Everything is going to be just fine; I’m going to change the tire, I’ll help you load these up and we’ll drive over to the place, okay?”

Once he got a reluctant nod from Virgil, Remus let go and wiped his hand when he realised Virgil had licked it. It was standard for them, just to be gross and weird with each other in a way that made Roman squirm. It made that dinner _way_ more interesting, Roman wasn’t so keen on double dates afterwards though. 

“You going to be okay, nightshade?”

“Yeah,” Virgil took a deep breath, “I’m good, I’ve just got a few things to sort out in here while you change the tire.”

“Sounds good,” Remus grinned, cupping Virgil’s face and giving him a quick kiss. He still got a tingly feeling from kissing Virgil, “You need anything else?” 

“No, I’m fine.” Virgil sighed with relief, leaning into Remus and wrapping his arms around him in a brief hug. “Sorry if I worried you, just felt like everything was going to go wrong.”

“Virgil, you’re the best florist in town--” Remus snapped his fingers, “Nay, the world! You have no reason to panic, it’s going to be great!”

"I wasn’t worried about my flowers, dickhead,” Virgil scoffed, a smirk on his face as he pulled back from the hug. “This is the first big boyfriend thing we’ll be doing together, meeting your parents and going to a wedding and everything…”

"Roman already likes you, Virge and my parents will love you. If anything, they’d want to replace me with you.”

Virgil looked reluctant to agree, "I’m sceptical of everything you’ve just said but I appreciate the effort.”

“Everything will be awesome,” Remus chuckled, pressing another kiss to Virgil’s forehead before messing with the man’s hair in an attempt to distract his boyfriend from stewing in his thoughts. He couldn’t help but watch Virgil in awe, just as he did the first time he laid eyes on him, just from something as simple as fixing his hair. “I’m going to do the tire!”

Lucky for Remus, he kept a carjack and lug wrench in the trunk of his car with the spare tire. Back in college, he’d gotten stranded out in the middle of fucking nowhere with a burst tire and he had to walk for miles to find a gas station so he could get Roman to drive out to help him. He knew better now, he learned from his mistakes - most of his mistakes anyhow. 

* * *

The change was a quick fix, Remus had the practice and after that, it was just a matter of piling the flowers into the cargo bay of the truck. Between the two of them, it wasn’t a difficult task and Remus offered to drive so Virgil could take the drive up to relax. The two of them spent the drive tapping out on the dashboard and steering wheel, singing along to My Chemical Romance at the top of their lungs. They were out-of-tune, sure, but it was fun and if it helped Virgil relax, Remus would have done a one-man performance of Chicago if he had to. 

The venue wasn’t too far away, just on the outskirts of town. It was a perfect pick for both Roman and Logan, a large historical manor with a whole history to it. Roman had chosen it because it appealed to his eccentric tastes and flair for the dramatic while catering to Logan’s love of all things smart and boring. Remus had absolutely zoned out when Logan went on one of his tangents, going into the details of the manor. If it wasn’t the guts and gore of history, what was the point?

Virgil broke him out of his trance, “You turn up here, Remus.” 

Turning sharply up the road, the manor came into view. It was beautiful, a perfect choice for a wedding with the vineyard in the distance and he could already see a few cars here and there. Likely the caterers and the band, whoever else might need to set up ahead of time. 

Remus parked up and shut off the engine, watching in the rearview mirror as Virgil dashed out the car to start unloading the first few centrepieces with care and grace. He took a few moments to admire the strength and power hidden under those careful hands, though scrambled to get out before his thoughts wandered. Heading around to the back, Remus helped Virgil unload and start carrying the flowers into the room where the reception would be held. It was fast work between the two of them, quips and banter going back and forth to make it less dull. 

“You were a godsend today,” Virgil said, coming over and pulling Remus into a kiss. “I was on the verge of a meltdown and you helped me _again_.”

“I’m your boyfriend, it’s part of the job,” Remus smiled, running his thumb against Virgil’s cheek as he cupped his face in his left hand. “I’d do it anytime, it’s a small price to pay for your sweet ass.”

“You ruined the moment, you dickhead,” Virgil smacked his chest with the back of his hand with no real gusto behind it. He snorted in amusement as Remus clutched where his heart was, falling on his knees and collapsing into a heap on the floor. “Get up, you weirdo.”

The two were so caught up in their hilarity that neither heard the click-clack of Italian dress shoes against the wooden floorboards. Remus was particularly dedicated to the bit, emphasising his death with gurgling, choking noises before grabbing Virgil’s trouser leg in a desperate act, “My dying wish, please eat Janus’ leftovers and do not allow Patton to stop you!”

He got no response from Virgil for his amazing acting skills, instead he got a _cough_. A judgemental, thoroughly annoyed cough that had Remus peering up with one eye open to find his brother looming over him. Ah, Roman was here.

“Remus, I’d appreciate it if you chose to forgo your idiocy for one day, _my day_!” Roman’s voice was shrill, emphasising the frustration and stress. Remus grumbled in response, dusting himself down as he got up before flashing his most devilish grin, contrasting Roman’s deep frown.

“Roman,” Remus made a big deal out of picking at invisible lint on Roman’s coat, “I would never go out of my way to stress you out and ruin anything for you on your big wedding day. I swear on the family cat.”

“Lady Meowington died two years ago, Remus!”

Remus let out a gasp, feigning shock that got a smile out of his boyfriend, “And you never told me?”

His brother let out a groan, hands running through tousled hair and pulling just a little as if it would alleviate the pressure of an upcoming headache. He began mumbling incoherent nonsense about Remus or the wedding or a mix of both. It was enough of an impression that Virgil and Remus shared a look between them.

“Roman, are you okay?” Virgil asked cautiously.

“I’m fine,” Roman’s voice cracked, going shrill and high-pitched. It made Remus wince, he’d always hated when Roman went into full-blown panic mode because it was like listening to nails on a chalkboard played on scratched vinyl. “I’m getting married, it’s going to be fantastic and everything will go swimmingly except my stupid brother couldn’t be bothered to answer his fucking phone when I needed him!”

Virgil offered Roman a sympathetic pat on the back, taking Roman’s side for this little tidbit. It’s fine, Remus likely deserved it but that didn’t stop him narrowing his eyes and mouth the word _traitor_ at him. Virgil merely stuck his tongue out before speaking to Roman, “That was my fault, I was having car troubles and asked him to help.”

All three of them knew Remus likely ignored the call outright in favour of helping Virgil. In the past few months, Remus delighted in aggravating Roman in the brotherly way you do by answering the phone for everyone _but_ him. It drove his brother up the wall but now, seeing him acting frantic and worried, Remus felt he should have known better for once. 

Wrapping an arm around his brother’s shoulder, Remus pulls him into a one-armed hug, “If you’re worried something is going to go wrong, you’re getting worked up over nothing. It’s your big day, so long as you and Logan exchange vows, it’s perfect right?”

“Yeah,” Roman mumbles, nodding as if he had to reassure himself in more ways than once before he could believe it, “Yeah, you’re right. It’s just pre-wedding jitters or something. I just want this to be perfect.”

“And it will be!” Remus looked over to Virgil for back-up, a third opinion on the matter.

“Everything will work out!” Virgil piped up, nodding a little too fast and eager but the spirit was there. “I’m going to leave you two to get ready, I have to head back and pick up my suit. I’ll see you both in a few hours.” 

As he passed, Virgil gave Remus a quick kiss and a mumbled goodbye before patting Roman on the back. It’d be interesting to see Virgil all dressed up, for as long as they’d been dating, he’d picked up on what Virgil’s aesthetic was and it boiled down to skinny jeans, baggy shirts and even baggier hoodies. It’d be a nice surprise for both of them, he supposed. 

For now, he had to focus on Roman to distract him from the upcoming wedding and all the possible ways it could go wrong. He led his brother up the winding staircase up to the master suite where Roman’s suit had been delivered the night before with the suits for the groomsmen on Roman’s side. 

As they made their way up the stairs, Remus could feel a heavy weight in his trouser pocket. It’d be good for him to focus on something else too, maybe talk to Roman about his own plans for the near future if they had the time.

* * *

When it came to stress, Roman was a nightmare to deal with. They were the most opportune times in the past to rile him up, something Remus revelled in as a child where he’d push his brother’s buttons until he went red in the face and burst into tears. It had always been something dumb back then, either taking the last strawberry ice-cream from the fridge or hovering his hand a hair’s length away from Roman, never touching him but being close enough to annoy him. 

Looking at his brother now though, it was just _sad_. A pathetic kind of sadness that made Remus want to die of embarrassment for his own brother as Roman got into a fight with his tie, the black silk restating its purpose to that of a noose rather than a piece of formalwear. Remus stepped in before his brother strangled himself, swatting hands away as he took the black silk to tie it himself. 

“You’re fucking it up already,” Roman huffed in protest but let his hands fall down to his sides as Remus scolded him, “You're going to blow your brains out before you even get down the aisle when the only thing you should be blowing is Logan on your wedding night.”

“Do you _have_ to make those kinds of jokes when I’m the one who has to hear them?” Roman grimaced in response, “It makes me feel like you’re a voyeur in my bedroom and that does not sit well with me.”

“You’re the one who made it weird now,” Remus patted down the tie, taking a step back to examine Roman before gesturing to the mirror, “Take a gander, Prince Charming.”

There were very few times Remus felt pride from another person’s achievements but right here, right now, seeing Roman in his red suit with his little black tie, he couldn’t be prouder of his little brother. The red suit would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, in Remus’ opinion, but on Roman, it was _perfect_. His brother deserved this.

“How do I look?” Roman twisted and turned, looking at himself in the mirror. “Do you think Logan will like it?”

“Logan looks at you like every gay nerd looked at Anakin Skywalker,” Remus chuckled, going over to straighten up the shoulders of his brother’s suit jacket. “He’ll love it.”

Seeing themselves in the mirror, Remus could see the family resemblance but he could see the differences too. Hard to believe that years ago, Roman wouldn’t even look him in the eyes when he’d told Remus he was leaving with his big, fancy scholarship while Remus had to stay home, living with their parents like a loser. They’d fought so much after that, Remus had never felt so betrayed and Roman had made him feel so low. They’d lost so much time and yet, here they were now. 

“I’m glad you asked me to be your best man,” Remus said, quiet and small but Roman had heard him, stiffening beside him. “I should have been happy for you then, I made mistakes but I’m glad I can be here for you now, I’m so happy that you’ve found someone who loves you the way you deserve. My baby brother deserves only the best.”

“You’re three minutes older than me,” Roman joked before his chuckle died down and he smiled, adjusting his tie as he spared Remus a glance in the mirror, “I’m glad you’re here, Remus. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Are you nervous?” Remus asked, “About marrying Logan?”

There was a beat of silence as Roman thought on it, shaking his head a second later, “I’ve had my doubts about so many things; my scholarship, my sexuality, my career but if there was one thing I’m positive of, it’s how much I want to marry Logan. I could never regret this decision, no matter how it turns out down the road.”

“That’s sweet,” Remus nodded in affirmation, “It must be nice to feel so certain.”

“Are you nervous about how things are going with Virgil?” Roman looked up at him, his voice taking on a serious tone laced with concern. It felt good knowing he could talk about things like this with Roman now. 

“I think I’m terrified of ruining everything,” he swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to imagine what he was going to say to Virgil later. “Ro, I think I’m in love with him.”

“Have you told him yet?”

“No,” Remus rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh before going over to where his jeans had been thrown over the back of a chair, fishing out a little silver house key from the back pocket. Looking at the key in his hand, “I wanted to tell him later so I could give him this.”

Approaching Roman, Remus showed off the key. It seemed so small, such a silly little thing to be nervous about but it was the implications behind it.

“Is that--” Roman stammered, eyes widening in surprise, “Are you going to..?”

“Yeah,” Remus toyed with the key between his fingers, unable to look away from it, “It’s the key to my new apartment and if he wants, it could be _our_ new apartment.”

Roman gauped for a few minutes, trying hard to form words as he opened and closed his mouth multiple times. It would have been funny if Remus didn’t have a pit of pure anxiety welling up in his stomach, pocketing the key in his suit’s breast pocket, tucked under the red pocket square. Eventually, Roman tackled him into a bone-crushing hug, almost sending them both toppling to the floor. 

“Oh my god, you’re going to ask him to move in with you!”

Remus returned the hug with a hearty laugh, “I haven’t even asked him yet, I don’t even know if he’ll say yes!”

“This is a big step for you, Remus and he might say yes!”

“I don’t know,” Remus shrugged it off, uncertainty and worry worming its way through him. He’d been used to taking risks that put his health at risk more than anything like drinking his body weight in tequila or shoving as many Oreos into his mouth as possible before he choked. Asking someone to move in with him was a whole new level of risk-taking Remus wasn’t prepared for, it only served to make him feel small and anxious. 

“Remus,” Roman put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly, “If you love Virgil, it’s worth the risk in asking. You’re never going to know how he feels or what he wants if you don’t ask.”

“Wait, wait,” Remus broke into a grin, always relying on humour to break the tension of a serious moment. “Was that _real_ advice from you, Roman?”

Roman was right though, Remus knew that and he felt better knowing his brother had his back. He wouldn’t know what Virgil wanted until he asked, he should at least give his boyfriend the option. 

* * *

The ceremony had been so beautiful, Remus didn’t have much in the way of comparison but he was going to chalk this wedding up to being the best one in the history of the world. He’d even teared up as he watched their father, Larry, walk Roman down the aisle and bring him to Logan at the other end. They’d decided to have the wedding ceremony outside in the summer sun in the gardens, the vows exchanged under a little wooden arch decorated by Virgil’s handiwork weaved through the frame. 

It had been surprising to learn that Logan’s cousin Emile was the one officiating, though it was a nice personal touch. The happy couple truly had worked hard to make this wedding a day for _them_ , rather than just one of them, the details happened to just be in the small things. Remus had handed over the ring for Roman, managing to keep the proud tears in while Janus openly blubbered as he gave Logan his ring for the blessing. It was a ridiculously sweet sentiment, though Janus would no doubt deny it later. 

Now, the reception was in full swing. They’d have the speeches before dinner where Remus had been happy to bring in his PowerPoint on the projector to share stories about Roman to embarrass his brother such as his moment of coming out, which in Remus’ defence, had been hilarious. He’d be a poor excuse of a best man and big brother if he didn’t revel in humiliating his brother on his wedding day. 

Remus was watching from his chair right now though, the newlyweds having just finished their first dance. Logan had surprised _everyone_ by being able to dance whatsoever, it had been impressive to see the nerd keep up with Roman who’d always been a performer at heart. The dance floor was gathering a crowd and those who weren’t up to dancing were at the bar. 

Tugging his tie loose and tossing it on the table before undoing the top two buttons of his suit, Remus let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t like suits, they were always so tight and he felt as if he was baking in an oven. He’d be happy to get it off when he got home but for now, he had to cope and play people-watcher. From his seat, he could see Patton and Janus at the bar from across the room and when Patton waved at him, he raised his glass in acknowledgement. The two of them had gotten along way better ever since the conflict months ago, turns out Patton makes a good partner in crime. The crime was annoying Janus, of course. 

“Is this seat taken?”

Remus turned his head to look up at Virgil, the man hovering by a chair with a lazy smile on his face. He spun in his own seat as Virgil pulled out the neighbouring chair, sitting down. It was a startling contrast the first time he’d glimpsed Virgil in the suit during the ceremony but now as he took it up close, it made Remus chuckle. The first time they’d met, Virgil was dressed in his favourite baggy hoodie that looked old and worn with his little work apron tied around it and now, here he was, a deep purple suit to contrast the crisp white shirt and sleek black tie. He cleaned up good, _real good_.

Leaning forward, he pressed a chaste kiss to his boyfriend’s lips before looking over at where his parents were. His mother gave a quick wave and Remus waved back before his parents went back to chattering about whatever it was they’d been discussing. Giving Virgil his full attention once more, he felt his smile tug into a smirk.

“How was meeting the parents then?” Remus asked, he’d introduced them briefly before being pulled away by Roman to film the first dance so he didn’t get to stick around for the conversation, leaving Virgil stranded at the mercy of Dot and Larry Knight.

“It went well, I think,” Virgil offered a small smile, “Your mum was asking about my flowers and I think your dad was trying to give me the bucket talk but I don’t think he’s very good at it?” 

Virgil reached forward, crowding into his space to tug free the grey streak in his hair. He’d slicked it back for the wedding, Roman insisted on it and Virgil’s fingers combing through it to pull the lock of hair free felt nice, a little intimate and he couldn’t help but chortle when Virgil curled it around his finger before letting it go to bounce against his forehead. 

“You clean up nice, very handsome under the grunge,” Virgil teased him.

“Is the _emo_ trying to call me out?” Remus raised an eyebrow before being obvious about the way he drank Virgil in, looking his boyfriend up and down. “If we’re complementing one another, I can tell you that you fill that suit out in more ways than one.”

His boyfriend rolls his eyes before changing the topic, the two going back and forth about the wedding. When the band begins to play a slow, romantic song, Remus points out how Roman gets up from his seat to drag Janus from the bar to the dance floor. The poor man looks to Patton for help, only for Patton to raise his glass with an amused grin. Even when Janus gets into it and starts showing off with Roman, Patton’s eyes never leave Janus for a second. 

Speaking of dancing, Remus looked from the dance floor to Virgil then back to the dance floor once he’d caught his boyfriend’s attention. 

“Oh, no,” Virgil starts out, using his hands to emphasise his refusal, “I don’t dance, can’t we just sit here and get drunk?”

“Virgil, you don’t have enough money on your person to get me plastered,” Remus chuckled, jumping up onto his feet to tug at Virgil’s hand, putting on his best puppy dog look in hopes it would win over his boyfriend, “Come on, please!”

“ _Fine,_ you win!” Virgil stood up to smooth himself over before Remus dragged him off by the cuff of his jacket towards the dance floor. 

The crowd dispersed to make room for the two of them, Virgil looking around at the other couples there before he’d awkwardly held his arms out for Remus. Remus couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter, grabbing Virgil’s wrist to position him. One of Virgil’s hands rested on his shoulder while the other fit in Remus’ hand, making Remus aware of how perfectly they fit together. He placed his hand just above Virgil’s hip, basking in the way Virgil looked flustered at their arrangement before he settled into it and smiled up at Remus, the two of them swaying and moving along with the music. 

At the start, Virgil is stiff and unyielding. It felt as if Remus was attempting to dance with a man made of concrete rather than a real person and as amusing as the comparison was, it didn’t make it easy to dance with his boyfriend. 

“You have to move,” he says and counts out the beat for Virgil until he catches on, shifting his weight in a way that just barely qualifies as dancing. “Follow the music, let yourself relax.”

The two of them swayed back and forth, Virgil’s eyes on his feet in fear of stepping on Remus’ own but Remus' eyes never left Virgil. 

“Now you’re getting it,” Remus kept his voice quiet, worried it would warble. Lifting his hand from its resting place above Virgil’s hip to reach up and tilt Virgil up by the chin so they could look one another in the eye. He liked looking at Virgil’s eyes, they felt warm staring back at him. They felt like home. 

“Thanks,” Virgil replies, his voice just as soft and his smile sincere, “I’ve never slow danced before, it’s nice, I like being this close to you.” 

Remus chewed on the inside of his cheek before deciding, fuck it, now was better than ever before he lost his nerve. He’d instinctively pulled Virgil closer by the waist, stiffening as he felt the weight of the key pull him down. 

“Virgil, I need to tell you something,” Remus begins and he can see the way Virgil grew nervous at his words. “I’ve known this for _weeks_ and I was so afraid of telling you but I need you to know more than ever.”

“What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, “I’m in love with you.”

Remus willed himself to hold Virgil’s gaze, anything to try and show the sincerity in his confession. He focuses on the warmth Virgil gives off, the closeness between them as they slow dance to the music. It feels natural for them to dance like this as if they were made to fit together. He slips his hand from the hip around Virgil’s back to pull him closer before turning their joined hands so Virgil’s own rested on his chest, covered by Remus’ hands. He feels the way his heart beats against his chest and he wonders if Virgil can feel it too.

“I was so afraid,” Virgil whispers, voice as low and soft as a whisper that Remus can feel the vibrations in his chest when he speaks. “I love you too, Remus.”

“You love me?” it starts out as a question but it ends up being a statement the second time, “You love me.”

Virgil nods, forehead resting against Remus’s shoulder as they danced together, his words heavy with sincerity. “I do but I was so scared of saying it first. I wanted to be certain you felt the same way.”

If it wasn’t for Remus’ prior knowledge of Andy, he might have questioned how Virgil could ever be uncertain anyone would love him. No, it made sense though. Andy had taken everything Virgil offered him and had demanded more. It may be in the past now but damage like that can last a lifetime; Virgil needed Remus to take the initiative. 

To tell him those three little words. 

“I love you,” Remus said again, pulling back enough to force Virgil to meet his gaze. He needed him to know how much he was loved. 

There was a moment of silence, of relief and reprieve before Remus let go of Virgil. He pulled the apartment key from the breast pocket, holding it up in front of Virgil where it glistened in the bright light of the dance floor. He takes the leap, filled with a rush of courage.

“There is no wrong answer to this, I’ll respect your decision regardless of what it may be but I leased out a new apartment,” Remus starts, “If you want it to be, it can be our apartment.”

If anyone had ever thought to ask Remus years ago if he’d ever see himself living his life with a man he was so obviously smitten with, he would have told them the day that happened, politicians would start telling the truth and hell would freeze over. Here he was though, Virgil pressed close to him and in his hand, a key to a future he had never envisioned before. 

Virgil laughed, nervous before it bubbled away into genuine excitement, “I just want to be where you are, Remus. I’d love to move in with you.”

Remus didn’t have the words for the emotion coursing through him, instead, he picked Virgil up and spun him around. He laughed loud and free, setting his boyfriend down and bouncing on the heels of his feet, “You mean it?!”

“Of course I do!” Virgil took the key from him, putting it in his pocket before dragging Remus down into a kiss. People were staring, no doubt about that, but as the two melted into the kiss, Remus didn’t give a fuck. Remus pulled Virgil closer, letting his eyes fall closed when Virgil pulled back to wrap his arms around Remus’ neck, the two finding perfect rhythm as they continued to dance.

“I couldn’t ask for anything else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed Take It or Leaf It, it was such a fun little fic and as much enjoyment as I got out of writing it, I'm glad to finish it. I'm grateful for the kudos, the comments and everyone who read it so thank you very much.


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